Job interview? I'd rather hunt for treasure!
by allstoriesintheend
Summary: When Lorna has an interview with Abigail Chase, she never expected to overhear a plot to steal the Declaration of Independence, or to hunt for a legendary treasure, or to get dragged along for the ride. How much will change? More than you think... BEN/OC
1. BILL should learn how to keep a secret

**I'm back! (momentarily). You're probably thinking "Who the heck is she?" and I'd say "I'm that girl who wrote truck loads of NT fanfiction then just STOPPED."**

**Ehem. So yeah, here I am anyway, with a loverly OC fic, based in the first film. Because those are so much fun right? Anyway, read away, I shall try my best to continue with this one, if I get reviews that is!**

I don't own National Treasure by the way. Just saying.

Job interviews. You can't get through life without going to at least one of these things. They're uncomfortable, nerve wracking, and generally terrible.

So as I made my way towards the National Archives, dressed in my nicest black pencil skirt and white button up shirt, I didn't feel particularly confident. I was the girl who was feisty and fun outside of the workplace. But inside? Timid and shy, that was me. I wouldn't stand a chance in the interview with that witchy sounding woman, 'Abigail Chase'. She seemed rather smug on the phone, very professional, but uppity all the same.

I wasn't particularly looking forward to meeting her.

But I wanted the job. I wanted to be her personal assistant, oddly enough, because it was one way of getting me into working with all those beautiful historical documents. I was twenty- eight though, I was running out of time, and I didn't want to be waitressing forever. I mean, seriously, who goes into waitressing after achieving a degree in American History? Me, that's who. Because I'm a shmuck.

I entered the building, and after walking around like an idiot, I finally found Abigail Chase's office. The door was oak, with a gold plaque on the front reading her name. I felt worse for it. Knocking twice, meekly, a voice sounded from inside.

"Come in!"

I opened the door, walking into the small waiting area outside Doctor Chases actual office. There were three chairs against the wall to my right, and sitting there were two attractive men, reading a leaflet about the Gala on Saturday. I wouldn't be going to that, too many rich stiffs for my liking. The woman behind the desk in front of me smiled when I turned my attentions back onto her, and I returned it.

"Name?" She asked, readying some papers.

"Oh, um," it took me a moment. "Lorna Scarlett." My friends always said I had a name like a bond girl, but to me it was just my name. I tried my hardest to keep eye contact with the woman, knowing it would be worse once I got inside for the interview. Locking my green eyes onto her blue, I tossed one of my shoulder length brunette locks over my shoulder and continued to smile weakly at her. "I'm here for the job interview."

"Ah yes." The woman grinned. "You're my replacement." She continued smiling, patting her stomach, which I now noticed was rounded into a small bump. Baby on the way. "Take a seat, Doctor Chase will be with you after she has seen these gentlemen."

She gestured to the seats and I glanced over, catching the eye of one of the men. He looked to be in his late thirties, was very handsome, wearing a black blazer and smart white shirt with jeans. I sat down beside him before he could see my cheeks reddening.

"Oh, you've got a job interview now?" The man beside me suddenly asked, almost being conversational.

"Yeah." I answered, trying to avoid eye contact. I was awful with that.

"Good luck." He grinned, flashing me rows of perfect teeth. Wow, he had a _killer _smile.

"Thank you." My lips curved upwards, he had somehow made me feel more at ease. "What're you here for?"

The man went to open his mouth but his younger looking associate interrupted.

"Someone's going to steal the Declaration of Independence."

I blinked at him, unsure of how to respond to that.

"And us, being the heroes that we are, are going to stop him." He continued casually, gesturing to himself, then to the older man.

I still didn't know how to answer. That was all rather abrupt.

"I'm Bill by the way." He grinned welcomingly and held a hand out, I took it gingerly, shaking it, then casting my gaze to the man beside me.

"Paul Brown." He took my hand also.

"I'm Lorna. Shouldn't…you guys have gone to the FBI or something?"

"I'm sure Doctor Chase will say the same thing." Paul sighed. "And I'm sorry to get you involved, _Bill _should learn how to keep a secret."

Bill laughed nervously, turning away slightly.

"Doctor Chase will see you now."

"It was nice meeting you."

Then they were gone. The door shut quietly being them and I stared at it, perplexed. The receptionist got up and left the room, probably to pee or something, as that's what pregnant women do, a lot. So when she vanished off down the hall, I waited a few moments before I pressed my ear to the door, listening to the muffled, but decipherable voices within.

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	2. The handsome ones are always crooked!

**Second chapter :)  
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**I don't own National Treasure**

At first the attractive one, Paul, was introducing himself and commenting on the campaign buttons which Doctor Chase had on display in her office. I didn't know she had, I hadn't been in there, but the thought of seeing them did excite me.

And then there he was, telling her straight out about this guy who was going to steal the Declaration. It confused me that they would both be so blunt, but I ignored that fact and listened further, too damn curious to stop. It was the most exciting thing that had ever happened in my mundane life.

Except the time my dog ran away when I was fifteen. Then came back and entire year later. That was epic.

I had my hands up against the door now, holding myself steady, ignorant to my surroundings. If the receptionist had returned then, I wouldn't have noticed.

I did find I was rather entranced by Paul's sexy drawl. The way he pulled his words out as he explained the situation gravely. It was very nice to listen to, even though it wasn't a particularly important fact at the time.

"I think I'd better put you gentlemen in touch with the FBI." Oh, Paul had been right. She did tell them to call the FBI.

"We've been to the FBI." Oh they had? Interesting. These guys thought of everything.

"…However, if we were given the privilege of examining the document..." That surprised me. Was it him who wanted to steal the Declaration? Because what he just said, it sounded pretty shifty to me.

I was enthralled, I couldn't help it, and as the conversation escalated, the words 'encryption' and 'map' came up. I was fascinated, open mouthed as I listened to the treasure hunters story.

That was, until, the receptionist reappeared.

"Miss Scarlett?" I flew back in surprise, knocking a waste bin over in my haste, landing flat on my back on the carpeted floor of the waiting area. The woman stared down at me suspiciously, clearly wondering what the heck I had been doing. "What're you-?"

"Oh um! I uh…" My eyes darted around as I sat up, trying my best to think up a decent excuse. "-I lost my earring. But I can't find it, so I'll just-"

"It was nice meeting you." The door eased open after the male voice, revealing Paul Brown, standing in the doorway, looking down at me with the same expression on his face as the receptionist. I stared up at him, utterly mortified to be discovered eaves dropping, and immediately felt my cheeks burn.

"Lorna, right?" His confused frown turned into a humored grin. He thought this was _funny_. Although, I supposed, it was a rather funny situation. A grown twenty eight year old woman on her hands and knees on the floor of an office for her job interview, eavesdropping on treasure hunters was sure to raise a few eyebrows, let alone stir a few smirks.

"Um. Yeah." He was crouching on his haunches in front of me now, a hand held out. I took it gingerly, letting him help me to my feet, which proved difficult in the pencil skirt I wore. I stumbled slightly into him, steadying myself on his chest, flinching away quickly out of embarrassment.

"Sorry."

"It's alright." He laughed, still holding my hand as I regained my composure. I looked up at him, his eyes sparkled at me, and I realised there was something different about him. An air of mystery surrounding him, something I wanted to know. Sadly I hadn't heard the last of his conversation with Doctor Chase...but the thought of maps on the back of the declaration, treasure...was far to interesting to ignore.

I decided right then and there I was going to follow them. I was just too damn nosy.

Of course, I did have an interview.

"Goodbye Lorna," Paul waved, retreating out the door. "Good luck with the interview!" His partner Bill waved vaguely at me, and then they were gone. I watched the empty doorway blankly for a moment, then a familiar voice sounded behind me.

"Lorna? I'm ready for you now." I turned to see Doctor Chase smiling at me from the door frame leading into her office. I blinked twice at her, glanced back at where Paul and Bill had just stood, then shook my head. It was too late. Sure I was one for an adventure, a sucker for them if you will, but this interview could decide my entire career. A treasure hunt could prove the funner choice, but not the most logical.

I smiled at Doctor Chase and followed her into her office.

***

Fifteen minutes later I took the lift to the bottom floor of the archives, feeling better since my interview. It had gone well, from what I could gather, and while I didn't have any experience in document managing to offer, Doctor Chase had appeared to be impressed by my enthusiasm.

I decided, because I had done so well, that a chocolate frappucino courtesy of Starbucks was going to be my reward, and I almost danced down the corridor and into the main hall of the archives from happiness. Of course, the thought of Paul (his handsome face and air of mystery) his sidekick Bill and the concept of treasure still played on my mind, and I couldn't help but let it dampen my mood ever so slightly that such an adventure could be happening so close to me.

Still, they were long gone now, and I would probably never see them again.

That was, until, Paul Brown walked right through my path, followed by Bill, who looked extremely anxious about something.

I blinked at them as they vanished out of the door, amazed they had stuck around long enough for me to see them. They hadn't caught sight of me of course, which was both a good thing and a bad thing, because I still wanted to follow and hear more about this treasure map.

I did feel as though I was invading their privacy a bit as I scurried after them, but I couldn't help but be interested. They were the ones who had so openly told me about a plot to steal the Declaration of Independence. It wasn't like I was expecting them to say 'Hey Lorna, we only met you half an hour ago, but what do you say to coming on a life changing treasure hunt?" but I was just so damn _nosy. _Not to mention Paul had given me that look...like I was some sort of miracle. Still, very odd, but it made me wonder, wonder if he had considered me useful for a moment there?

I ran out into the bright morning sunshine, almost running straight past the two men, who were now seated on the steps of the building. I immediately slowed, sauntering past them to the bottom of the stairs, before curving round and heading back up, sitting near them silently, eavesdropping. Yeah, I know, I'm a terrible person, but don't tell me you wouldn't be interested by these guys too?

"This is huge." Bill said, sounding awestruck. "Prison huge."  
I listened intently, hooked. What was prison huge? Had I been right earlier? Were these guys really going to steal the Declaration of Independence?

My suspicions were proved accurate when Bill continued on, saying Paul would go to prison. I almost got up and ran away, terrified I'd be named in this horrible plot to steal something so valuable and important. That was until, I heard the name 'Ian'.

It seemed this guy was the real culprit, he wanted the Declaration because of the treasure, like Paul and Bill. But he'd destroy it in the process. So the map...it was on the back of the Declaration?  
I found that hard to believe.

I was impressed to hear how disapproving Bill was of the situation.

"Ben, for God's sake. It's like stealing a national monument..." Wait a minute, did he just say Ben?  
I blinked, listening more intently, not hearing that name again. Had these guys given me a fake name? Given Doctor Chase a fake name...?

That was it, they were crooked, the handsome ones are always crooked!  
With that I got up, dashing down the steps, the sound of my heels clacking against the concrete seeming a lot louder now I was making an escape.

My God, I was so screwed, I'd been talking to these guys! I'd listened in! I could be pigeon holed as the villain here! I cursed what a worrier I was, making my way down the street fast, knowing just where I was headed.

FBI headquarters. They had to know, these guys had to be exposed.

I hurried along, keeping my eyes forward. I had to get there quickly. Had to warn them...

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	3. Don't you care about the mystery?

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**I've written loads of this story out in a notebook. So I had to type this entire chapter out again. Fun fun.**

**So yeah, I DO NOT own National Treasure.**

Suddenly something was jerking on my arm, and I was being dragged down a side alleyway abruptly.

Great, first I overhear a conspiracy to steal the Declaration, second I get mugged. This day was steadily declining after that interview.

I let out a small squeak as I was span around to face my attacker, while a voice I recognised told me to 'shhhh!'

I stared at Paul Brown –if that was his real name- struggling against the hand that gripped my right arm tightly. I braced myself to scream, not willing to let these guys kill me off, or whatever they planned to do with me now I knew their secret, but paused in my efforts when Paul raised his hands in mock surrender, staring at me urgently.

"Wait! Don't scream, just, just hear me out. Please?" I raised both eyebrows, seeing the genuine look in his eyes immediately. He didn't come across like a bad guy…but did they ever?

I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. It couldn't hurt. Unless his accomplice Bill continued twisting my arm up so high up my back.

"Alright." I sighed.

Paul's eyes lit up momentarily, before he told Bill to let me go.

"Sorry about that." Bill said uncomfortably, coming round into my line of vision. He gestured casually to Paul. "He made me do it."

I nodded nervously, folding my arms. I would normally laugh, but I couldn't trust them. Not yet anyway.

All of this was seeming stupider by the minute.

Paul was seeming relieved by my decision, but I remained skeptical. I was beginning to wish I hadn't been so damned nosy in the first place. When I was a kid I used to listen in on my brothers phone calls to his girlfriend. Which must make me a naturally nosy, or as I like to put it, curious, person. Plus, when treasure is involved, curiosity obviously transforms into nosiness.

"Look, we aren't bad guys. We just, we're trying to _protect _the Declaration, not steal it-"

"But I heard you say-"

"Can we go get coffee or something?" Bill interrupted suddenly, catching mine and Pauls attentions. "I'm not enjoying standing in this dingy alleyway." He looked around in disgust, as if for emphasis. I watched him, realizing straight away I wasn't willing to go anywhere with them. My mum would have killed me if she knew I was doing anything like this. Two strange men who I'd overheard discussing illegal doings? Madness. I was so out of there. I didn't care how curious I was, or whether or not these guys had a decent reason for whatever they were plotting, the risk was just too huge.

"Y'know what…I'm sorry, but I uh, I can't." I shook my head, deciding right then and there that this had already gone too far. I could be risking my life here.

"But you seemed so curious." Paul almost laughed, he seemed incredulous. "You don't want to know-?"

"Ben..." Bill interrupted. "If the doesn't want to get involved, she doesn't want to get involved…" It was as though he was trying to stop 'Ben' revealing anything.

"We can't let her go." 'Ben' hissed, only just loud enough for me to hear. I frowned.

"I'm going whether you like it or not." Defiant, despite becoming a little afraid, I squared up to the two men, stifling the fear which was threatening me with a heart attack. What he'd said about protecting the Declaration was a new spin on things, I would give him that, but it still wasn't enough to swing my vote on the matter.

"Then promise me you won't tell the authorities about us." Paul, as I decided I was going to call him, until I was positive what his actual name was, said. I was half tempted to lie, to tell him I'd keep mum, that I'd let him run off and cavort around Washington DC with a fake name and a treasure hunting plot. But, unfortunately, I was too stupid to even think of doing that.

"No, I can't do that. You- you can't just go around, being all handsome and blatant about committing a crime!" I was waving my arms around like an idiot at this point, and the two men were watching me with growing concern. I wasn't sure if this concern was for my mental well being or the fact that I was going to rat them out to the FBI. Whatever the reason, I needed to get out of there.

"I'm going. I don't believe this, any of this. I can't stick around. Sorry." I said finally, turning on my heel and stalking back to the main road.

"Don't you care about the mystery?" Paul called after me.

I slowed, the teenage, adventurous side of me willing the part of me which had common sense to stop and run back to him.

"Yeah, but-" I paused, breathing deeply. "I care about my clean criminal record more." Then, with my back still to Paul and Bill, I turned the corner, and vanished from their view.

I knew he was trying to make me stay because he didn't want me to go to the FBI, but it wasn't like I could do a huge amount of good anyway. I didn't even know their real names. 'Ben' wouldn't get me anywhere would it?

There was something unusual about the whole situation though. They just didn't seem like villains to me.

I continued down the street, my mind boggling. Maybe if they had proof of whatever they were claiming...Of course I hadn't stuck around to hear the full story. And why would I? I'd never been in trouble with the police, and I wasn't planning on starting then. No matter how interesting it all was.

Now where was I going again?

***

"Yes, I heard them telling her someone was going to steal the Declaration."  
"-And you heard this by eavesdropping, yes?"

My cheeks went hot.

"What is that a crime no too?"

"No ma'am, I'm just getting the appropriate details."

"Well...they told me as well. But I heard more of the story when they spoke to Doctor Chase."

I was sitting in FBI headquarters, ratting Paul and Bill out. I found it odd that I felt guilty for what I was doing, but pushed on anyway, keeping a straight face as the agent interviewed me.

"-And you think these men may be the ones who plan on stealing the Declaration?" I nodded, even though I wasn't completely sure on what I was claiming. Along with this decision, I decided to leave out the part where I heard them discussing stealing the damn thing. While doing so could have potentially got me in trouble, no-one could have proved I had overheard them. I was already a dirty rat, I didn't want to get the guys arrested. For some odd reason.

It was their kind faces, that was what was putting me off.

"Thank you Miss, we'll investigate this."

I smiled warmly, before standing up and leaving the busy office.

He was helpful, but I couldn't imagine he had listened to me one bit. How many tips did they get a week? Ten thousand? Still, I'd done my bit. Everything would be fine.

At least, that was what I thought.

***

_Ring ring. Ring ring. _

"Hello?"  
"Lorna?"  
It was Doctor Chase. My heart leapt at the sound of her voice. Had I got the job?

"Yes, that's me." I was trying and failing to hide the excitement in my tone.

"Hi, it's Doctor Chase. I was very impressed by your interview last week. Would you be available for a second interview on Monday?"

"Of course!" I almost shouted, glad the woman couldn't see the huge, almost Joker-like grin on my face. Why so serious?  
"Alright, excelling. I'd also like to invite you to the Gala tomorrow night. It's a privilege we only offer to second stage interviewees. The other candidates will be there too. Will you be able to attend?"

"Of course!" I was sounding like a broken record already. I had to get off the phone.

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow." And the line went dead. The woman was very professional, and last minute too, but none of that mattered.

A second interview! Brilliant! I was one step close to-

Crap.

I had no dress.

I was going to have to spend a huge chunk of my waitressing tips on a dress to wear to a party of stiffs. Fun

With that, I scraped my keys off the counter by my front door and dashed out of my apartment, racing to my waiting car.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap!" I panicked as I shoved the key in the ignition and revved the engine, backing out of the space and hitting the road, driving to the department store.

By the time I arrived it was just past two and I hadn't eaten lunch. My stomach growled angrily as I marched into the building, but I ignored it, keeping my eyes on the prize. I made myself a promise I'd have a huge cheese burger from McDonalds later to make up for this stomach abuse.

The dress and suits were on the third floor, I went up in the lift and emerged in the sea of fabrics.

"Ohhh this is going to take a while." I murmured, wandering forward, frowning.

There was a pretty pink one with spaghetti straps, a pale blue one which ended at the knee, and a crimson dress which came down the chest in a V. With those three as the only ones which I decided I liked, I took them up in my arms and hurried to the changing rooms.

I bustled past the tuxedo fitting area, and almost dropped my items in surprise when I saw who was being measured.

Paul Brown stood to my left, his arms spread as a gentleman held a tape measure along the length of his right arm. I tried to regain my composure and continue forward, but he had already seen me, which didn't help my burning, guilty cheeks.

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	4. You stolen the Declaration yet?

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**Once again, I DO NOT own National Treasure**

"Lorna!" He called.

I tried my best to ignore him but it was already clear I was aware of his presence.

"Paul," I muttered in response, slowing to a halt beside him, feeling embarrassed.

"Give us a minute?" He asked the tailor, who nodded politely and left, flashing my a smile as he went. It was a very endearing smile, and paired with that lovely suit he wore it made for a very attractive finish. Damn he looked good in a tux.

"Are you going to the Gala too?" I asked with mild interest, continuing to admire his tux and remembering he had been looking at a Gala leaflet when I had first seen him.

"Yeah." He smiled warmly, approaching me. I tensed and he stopped, noticing my hostility. "I take it you are?" He asked, gesturing to the armful of dressed I held.

"That's right." My tone was monotonous, I still didn't trust this guy, even though he fascinated me.

I never thought I'd see him again, this was all too weird for me.

"Did you tell the-"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

There was a silence for a few moments. The put out look on Pauls face told me he was disappointed, and there it was, that unusual feeling of guilt again. Was this guy really as villainous as I thought? His face was so sincere.

"Well, I didn't tell them everything." Why did I say that? What was I trying to prove?

"You didn't?" He was interested again, and the look of disappointment had vanished from his face.

"No." I shook my head. "I missed out the part where I eavesdropped for the second time." I smirked at him, catching his smile.

"That's good. Why would you do that?"

I shrugged.

"I figured...You aren't all bad."

"And clearly, neither are you."

And there it was again, that look I'd seen on his face once before. Like he was amazed. What was that about?

I kind of liked it.

"Well," he said, finishing the conversation as the tailor returned. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

He gave me one last weary smile, winked and turned away. I watched his back curiously.

"Uh, yeah. See you tomorrow, maybe."

I hoped I would.

***

I felt uncomfortable to say the least, as I waited in the line to enter the archives, smoothing out the skirt of my dress. I'd gone with the short pale blue number in the end. It looked nice. I was especially proud of my hair, which was clipped back at the front, while the rest of my hair hung in loose brunette curls at my shoulders. I'd tried hard for this. I wasn't sure if it was to make a good impression on Doctor Chase, or Paul Brown...

I'm so weird.

I arrived at the front of the line where my purse was checked and I was frisked. Y'know, in case I had a bomb hidden inconspicuously somewhere in the tight dress I was wearing.

Once I was through security, I was out into the room of stiffs. Seriously, the majority of them just stood around with glasses of champagne, talking in snooty accents and having equally snooty conversations.

I stuck out like a sore thumb.

I flinched when I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning to see Doctor Chase smiling at me.

"Lorna, you made it. You look lovely." I was flattered, but she looked a lot prettier than I did. Her black dress was particularly stunning.

"Thanks. You look nice too." Well that sounded stupid. "Thank you for inviting me." So did that.

"No, thank _you _for being such a pleasure to interview." She laughed. I was still intimidated by her, but was thankfully getting used to her superiority.

"Well, I'd better go and work the room." She Said suddenly, turning to leave. "Help yourself to some champagne. It's French."

And then she was gone.

"I loosened up and headed over to one of the waiters, who was wandering around with a tray of filled champagne glasses.

As I reached out of one, another hand touched mine in the same effort to retrieve a glass. I looked up to see the face that was becoming so familiar to me. Paul.

"Oh!" I recoiled, reddening, and stared at him. His mouth curved upwards into a wife grin, and he held out the glass I had previously meant to take.

"Didn't think I'd actually see you here." He said merrily, though somewhat distractedly, glancing over my shoulder occasionally.

"Well, here I am." I smiled, watching him curiously. "You stolen the Declaration yet?"

I was joking of course, trying to view the situation from the lighter side. Of course, my suspicions grew when he froze at my sentence, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Why would I do that?"

I shrugged, raising my eyebrows.

"I don't know. Why would you-?"

I trailed off, distracted when I heard a quiet murmuring somewhere nearby. It sounded like a radio, or an ipod on too loud. And when I looked closer, I could see there was something in Pauls ear. Because naturally, when something strange happened I would suspect him right away.

The voice sounded as though it said something along the lines of 'is that that hot interview chick?' But I couldn't be sure. It was a long sentence and it was muffled.

I was being silly again.

"Sorry Lorna, I've got to go...Work the room." He patted my shoulder, taking another two glasses – one by the base I noticed- and hurried off. I watched his retreating back suspiciously, noticing who he was approaching.

Doctor Chase turned around to face him, smiling warmly as he offered her the glass which he held by the base. I felt my cheeks heat up again, my stomach twisting uncomfortably.

Oh, I was _not _feeling jealous. Was I? He _was _mysterious, and attractive, I couldn't help but be fascinated by him...

So I watched moodily, wondering why he wanted to talk to _her _so badly.

I downed my champagne.

And another

And another.

I hadn't eaten much that night, so naturally, the alcohol went straight to my head. I put the fourth glass down and went to leave, deciding I was too tipsy and too fed up of listening to conversations about the economy to stay another minute. A quick glance at my watch proved I'd been there a good hour, synching my decision to leave the bore fest behind.

I took a step forward, immediately staggering and steadying myself on a passing waiter. I was more drunk than I first thought. I had to get home before I hurled a slurred insult at one of the rich stiffs.

I bustled away, head down, straight to the exit. On my way, I could have sworn I caught sight of Paul standing in the gift shop, at the counter, but that could have easily been my intoxication speaking.

I carried on, finally coming out into the open. The cold air hit me hard, clearing my head, making me realise just how drunk I was. I couldn't drive home like that. So I swiftly called a taxi, tried my hardest to sound sober, then waited at the bottom of the steps for it.

Then he swept past me, walking quickly, hurriedly, with an unusual limp.

I watched him go, eyebrow cocked, and decided last minute, in my drunken state that I was going to go over there. Don't ask me why, I can never explain my drunken intentions.

"Hey!! Paul!!" I yelled as I marched across the sheet. He didn't turn. I thought for a moment, then yelled again. "Ben!"

He stopped by a waiting red van before he faced me.

"Oh! Lorna!" Don't 'oh Lorna' me with your devilish good looks and sexy drawl. You lied to me about your name, and you're being _very _suspicious.

He grinned at me though, despite the look I was probably giving him, and he shifted his weight uncomfortably. I eyed him, thoroughly suspicious, surveying him as he tried hiding something beneath his jacket.

As he shifted, I briefly caught sight of what looked to be rolled up parchment in the elastic of his pants. I blinked, knowing I was only tipsy, nowhere near intoxicated enough to imagine stupid things like that.

Problem was, I was just about drunk enough to push back his tuxedo jacket before he could stop me, revealing what was, quite blatantly, the Declaration of Independence. Or, at least, to someone like me, it was.

I gasped loudly, clapping a hand to my mouth in horror, hit by the reality of the situation, suddenly feeling sober. If I had thought I would be pigeon holed for involvement earlier, try _now _for freakin' involvement!

"Oh my God!!! I KNEW it! You totally stole-"

Suddenly he was grabbing me by the waist, swinging me around and bundling me into the back of the red van before I finished my rant.

"Please-Please, Lorna, just-" He babbled as he stood in front of me while I composed myself, sitting on the edge of the back end of the van. I glared up at him.

"You liar! You lied to me about your name, and you lied about someone else stealing the Declaration! Give me one good reason, _Ben, _why I should-"

"Wait!" He clapped a hand to my mouth. "Just give me a minute and I'll explain!" He paused, looking curious, then put his free hand to his ear, the ear I had thought I saw an ear piece in. Then he scooped up what looked to be another copy of the Declaration and vanished around the door and out of sight. I wiped the back of my mouth indignantly, and was about to follow when a male voice sounded from the drivers seat.

"Lorna, right?"

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	5. This is aaall in your imagination!

**Thank you to those of you who reviewed :) This chapter would have been longer, but it's 2am and I got tired of typing it out from my notebook, so there'll be more in the next chapter, yeah?  
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I do not own National Treasure, or this awesome script I'm using, or the wonderful Ben Gates. *fangirl sigh*

I turned to see Bill –clear now that it wasn't his real name- watching me with a grin from the front seat.

"Yeah. And you're..?" My interest wavered to Ben's whereabouts, but I tried focusing my attention on the current conversation.

"Riley. Sorry about all the...this."

I continued to stare at him, wanting to converse, but far too confused to do otherwise.

"You confused?" He said conversationally.

"Yeah." I answered honestly.

"Mad?"  
"A little."  
"Then if you're as drunk as you look, this is aaall in your imagination!"

I frowned, processing his comment. Maybe he was right...

My thoughts were interrupted abruptly when the back doors slammed shut and the sound of wild alarms reached my ears.

Ben was hopping in the front passenger seat, saying something in a rush to Riley, as I would now know him.

But crap, was I being kidnapped here?

"Hey!" I yelled, crawling forward. "I'm still waiting for an explanation here! Not to mention the fact I've got a taxi waiting outside, and-"

AND I was going to get pigeon holed AGAIN for doing something I wasn't initially involved in!

"Oh, bad-"

"What's bad!?" I demanded, as Ben stared out of the window with a horrified look on his face.

"Bad, bad, bad!" Then he was out of the passenger door. What the hell was going on!? I poked my head over the front head rests, ruffling Riley's hair to catch his attention.

"Hey! Riley, Bill or whatever. What's-"

At that moment the window smashed in, breaking into thousands of tiny cubes. I fell back in shock, strips of hair which had been pinned back now hanging wildly around my face.

Ben was now back in the car, insisting Riley 'go'.

"Did- Was that a gunshot!?" I challenged, suddenly feeling very, very scared. "What's going on!?" I was, honestly, wrapped up in the moment. Sure I was scared, but wow, it was like I was in a movie.

"Your future boss, Abigail Chase...?" Ben told me, watching me from his peripherals. Technically she wasn't my boss yet, she may never be my boss. But we'll say 'future' for now.

"Yeah, what about her?" Did I really want to know..?  
"Mhm. She's been uh..." He seemed to be mentally selecting the correct wording. "..Kidnapped."

"Oh, right." I said calmly. Then straight after, something snapped. "WHAT!?"

"You asked." Ben responded simply.

"At this rate, you won't be getting a second interview." Riley commented from the front seat. I glared at the back of his head, but agreed internally. Even smirked slightly. It's true when they say you don't know how you'd react in a situation like this. Because I was actually having _fun. _

Although, I was technically kidnapped myself...So...

"Once we catch them what're we going to do?" Riley asked out of the blue as we raced down the street.

"You're going to let me out of this van, that's what!" I snapped, flushing red.

Ugh. I know I was being a bit of a killjoy. But I was under the influence of alcohol, not to mention I was in the middle of a car chase after whoever had stolen my possible future boss.

I wonder how many people can say that about a night out...?

"I'd let you out here but you're drunk." Ben responded coolly.

"-And you'd probably get shot." Riley added.

"Or DIE because we're driving, FAST." I rolled my eyes. Men. "-And I'm not DRUNK." Being dragged into a van by a guy who'd stolen the Declaration of Independence had made me realise the reality of the situation. Sobered me up, if you will. You'd be surprised how easy it is to do that, especially when your parents get home after you've just kicked the guests from a house party out.

Then, right in front of my eyes, the back doors of the catering truck we were tailing flung open, rebounding off the hinges and swinging back and forth...With Abigail hanging off.

"Oh no." Ben sounded unimpressed.

"Holy Lord." So did Riley.

"I think I'm sober now." I said, blinking, staring blankly at the scene before me.

I was rather alarmed, to say the least, and now I was paying full attention, the situation was hilarious. That was my possible future boss, hanging from the back of a catering truck, screaming her head off. Perhaps it was a defence mechanism, or perhaps the frivolity of everything just had be laughing. But either way, it was funny.

Hehe.

Oh I'm awful, I shouldn't have been laughing.

"Get me next to her." Ben commanded, causing Riley to swerve towards the truck we were in pursuit of.

"Woah, woah, woah, wait, no! We can't go near them!" I protested. "They'll shoot us!"

"They could also shoot Abigail." Ben said simply.

"Yeah, that too." I murmured, sitting back. "So, I guess they're the ones you're 'protecting'-" I made blatant air quotes with my fingers, even though it was pretty obvious who the real villains were. "-The Declaration from?"

"Yep." Ben had climbed over the seat and he was now beside me, opening the sliding doors, which, coincidentally, I had been leaning against.

They slid open and I reeled back, letting out a short yelp before I felt an arm wind around my waist and stopped me from falling.

"Careful." Ben grinned, rather dashingly if I do say so. My stomach even gave a little flip, before I answered in mock annoyance.

"A warning would have been nice, next time."

He chuckled, kept his hand on my waist. We sat there for a moment, smiling at each other, before Abigail's screams snapped us back to reality.

"...Abigail." I said softly, ripping my gaze from Ben's. He blinked and looked out of the open door. She was right near us, flying around, yelling like a maniac.

It was still funny.

"...Right." Ben sounded dazed after our brief moment, but all too quickly he was going hero, grabbing the frame of the door and hanging out, arm outstretched. He shouted her name again, told her to jump. I dived out of the way, the thought of my future boss landing on top of me with full force even more horrifying than being caught up in a severe crime.

Then she was leaping from the catering truck- I caught sight of a flash of blonde hair inside, turning to some other thuggish looking men while clutching a roll of white paper. He looked pleased with himself, whoever he was. What a douche. He thought he had the real declaration.

I wouldn't have wanted to be there when he discovered it was just a dummy copy...

There was another gunshot suddenly, I yelped, seeing Ben in the firing line, and grabbed the door, sliding it across so it slammed shut hard, creating a barrier.

Riley swerved so we were out of danger. I breathed out, blowing a puff of air up so my bangs billowed upwards. Ben looked at me, sitting up, having rescued Abigail.

"Thanks." He said breathlessly. I smiled genuinely at him and nodded.

"And thank _you _for catching me before."

Then Abigail got up.

"We lost them." Riley announced. Ben and I sighed with relief internally, revelling in the calm before Abigail snapped onto form, ruining our pleasure. Ben cleared his throat and turned to her.

"Are you alright?"  
"No!" She snapped. "Those lunatics-"

"Hey, Doctor Chase!" I cut in nervously, deciding to get it over with. She wheeled around, looking at me in horror, like she'd just caught me stealing out of her purse, or something.

"Lorna!? What-What're you-!?"

"Um-"

"Oh my God-" She looked frantically from me to Ben. It was as though my appearance there had synched some sort of decision for her. "You're all lunatics!!!"

**But seriously, review.**


	6. Talking smack

**New update! Again, thanks to those who reviewed. If I get at least two I will always update soon! Enjoy this next chapter! Abigail is very mean in it...**

**I do not own National Treasure, I only own Lorna!**

"I know you didn't take it well..." Ben murmured to me. "-But at least you took it better than her."

I nodded.

"Yeah, but in fairness, I still haven't heard the whole story."  
"Neither has she."  
"Good point."

And he was smiling widely at me again. I felt better for it, cooler, if you will, than the raving mad woman beside me. I think Ben was thinking the same.

"Stop it! Stop just- just talking like nothing is wrong! Lunatics! You're all lunatics!!!"

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop including me in this whole 'lunatic' thing." I said pointedly. "Might make the interview on Monday a little awkward."  
She glared at me.

"There won't BE an interview Monday!"

"What? Why not!?" Well, that downed my vibe.

Wait. I had a vibe?  
Must've been the one I got whenever Ben looked at me.

"You helped them steal the Declaration of Independence! I would never hire you after this, I'll personally make SURE the entire academic community knows NEVER to give you a job!" She enunciated certain words, screaming them at me.

"Hey, wait, no- I didn't-" This was _exactly _what I didn't want to happen. Damnit.

"Wait, she lost the Declaration!?" Riley yelled from the drivers seat.

I chose to sit quietly, hardly knowing what to say, but also not wanting to get aught up in Abigail's line of fire. She wasn't going to hire me. That was my career screwed.

Though I had to admit, it had made my decision easier. While I hadn't wanted to get mixed up in this before, because of an imminent job, the hunt itself had actually been the reason why I now didn't have one.

Now, ooh, the concept of treasure over a waitressing job, it was so exciting.

Suddenly I was pumped and the loss of the interview wasn't an issue.

Call me crazy, but I'd been dragged along for this, and now I had no career for it. Perhaps it was fate.

"They don't have it." Ben produced the Declaration, rolled up safe. I blinked and stared at it.

"No way." I whispered.

The moment was awed, while Ben continued in his attempt to calm Abigail.

"See, okay? Now can you please stop shouting?"  
"She won't." I muttered as the loud blonde woman made a grab for the Declaration. Ben flinched back, sliding it into a grey canister.

"Give me that!"  
"You're still shouting. And it's really starting to annoy. You'd do well, Doctor Chase, to take a leaf out of Lorna's book, and be a bit more civilised in this instance."

I glowed. I was being civilised, wasn't I? Now, at least. I cringed thinking about all the shouting I had done previously.

"If this is the real one, then that douche, the one in the van, he got the other one?" I clarified.

"The souvenir. I thought it'd be a good idea to have a duplicate. It turned out I was right." Ben shrugged it off modestly, even though it was a simple but brilliant idea he deserved credit for.

"Genius." Riley and I said at once. Cool, so we agreed Ben was awesome.

"Who were those men?" Abigail continued in her loud, shrieking demands. I was becoming relieved I wouldn't be getting the job. Imagine her on a Monday!

But seriously, I'd like to know who those guys were too.

"Just the guys we warned you were going to steal the Declaration."

"Oh." It was a revelation for me, too.

"So...They're not just thieving douches. They're kidnapping, murderous douches?"  
Ben nodded and gave me a smirk.

"Neither of you believed us!" Riley said smugly from up front.

"Well," I muttered. "I kind of did. At least I didn't call you guys lunatics."

"We were doing the only thing we could to keep it safe." Ben explained.

"Verdammt! Give me that!" Abigail snapped, making another grab for the cylinder Ben held. I rolled my eyes, she was trying my patience.

"You know something? You're shouting again."  
"Pretty sure she was swearing too." Riley pointed out. I blinked, confusion.

"She was swearing?"  
"German." Ben murmured. I nodded, feeling a little stupid.

"Right."

"We probably deserve it, though." He added with a shrug.

"There is not a treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence." She continued, sounding utterly disbelieving. I didn't blame her really, but she should've taken a risk. Life is full of risks, and you only live once. Her career depended on it though, mine no longer did. Ugh. And the hatred for that woman was back with a passion. I really didn't want to be in this van with her anymore.

It amused me though that technically, I was doing what I wanted now, handling historical documents.

Oh the irony.

"You can't seriously believe this, Lorna!?"

I snapped out of it and looked at her, then Ben. He seemed to believe it, but who was I to follow a stranger to a impossible treasure? It was madness, really.

"This is too interesting not to follow up." I said simply, catching sight of Ben's small smile. "Besides, it's not like I have a decent future where jobs are involved." I made sure my tone was dry and snarky when I said this, hoping it made Abigail feel at least a little bit guilty.

"I levelled with you one hundred per cent." Ben told me. "Everything I told you was the truth."  
"Though you didn't tell me much." I countered.

"You ran away before I could." Ben shot back.

"Touché." Touché indeed.

"I want that document, Mr Brown." Abigail snarled.

"Okay, my names not Brown, its Gates. I levelled with you ninety eight per cent."  
"Ha! I figured that out already!" I exploded. Everyone looked at me oddly. I cleared my throat uncomfortably.

"Wait." I paused. "Gates, isn't that-"

"You're that family with the conspiracy theory about the founding fathers!" Abigail exclaimed, finishing off my sentence.

Okay, so maybe I was a bit in over my head here. But at least now I knew he wasn't just some raving lunatic off the street, he actually had a solid theory, and so did his family. A theory I had never personally believed, but...

"It's _not _a conspiracy theory." Ben defended.

"Per se." Riley murmured.

I sniggered.

"Y'know what? I take it back. You're not liars. You're insane." That seemed to be one of her favourite words, insane. I hoped she would stop saying it soon. It was extremely annoying.

"You have, actually, been calling them insane for a while." I poined out. She whirled on me.

"YOU are insane! You actually believe this!"  
"Well, I-"

"Woah now, back off, she can believe what she wants." Ben stuck up for me. I felt quite amazed and flattered. "Just be _quiet _if you don't have anything useful to say!"  
Wow. Blunt.

"You can't seriously intend to run chemical tests on the Declaration of Independence in the back of a moving van!"

I could hardly believe it either. Abigail had a point for once.

"We have a clean room environment all set up. EDS suits, a particulate air filtration system, the whole shebang." Riley explained, in painful detail. But wow, really, these guys really did think of everything!

"Really?" Abigail and I asked at once, aghast.

"We can't go back there."  
Thanks Ben. You ruined the fun.

Really, I shouldn't have believed him at all, I mean, any history fanatic had read about the Gates family. Conspiracies, all that jazz. But it was exciting! And hot! I couldn't stay away. Seriously, how many attractive, heroic, clever men were there out there?  
And how many once in a lifetime treasure hunts?  
"What!? Why not?" Riley demanded of Ben's bombshell.

"I uh...I paid for the-" He began.

"The souvenir?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah. Credit card." Was that embarrassment I could hear?

"A credit card slip!?" Riley repeated. "Dude, we're on the grid. They'll have your records from forever! They'll have my records from forever!"  
"They won't have mine." I grinned, rather inappropriately.

Ben shot me a look before moving on.

"I know, I know. It's only a matter of minutes before the FBI shows up at my front door."

"FBI?" I repeated. "Maybe I should go home..."  
"No, not now."  
"Wait, you can't. That means you're kind of kidnapping us..."

This must have meant I had Stockholm syndrome, because I didn't want to go. Not really. I'm a sucker for a good adventure. It comes from reading 'Treasure Island' over and over from the age of nine upwards.

"We'll let you go when we find somewhere to stop the van. Hey, take a right here. We need to plan out next move." Ben ordered.

"Then what?" Riley asked as he twisted the wheel.

"We need those letters."  
"What letters?" Abigail and I said in unison.

Ouch, that was happening too much. Especially bad because I had found my dislike for the woman was steadily growing. Probably started when she took my career away and started talking smack to the clever hero guy beside me.

**Please review! Go click the button! please!! Ben doesn't get enough credit! Show him your love!**


	7. The circle of criminals

**Thank you for the reviews everyone! Please keep doing so, they're the only things which keep me updating.**

**Enjoy this chapter, the next one is rather epic :P**

**I do not own National Treasure or this script. Only Lorna.**

"Silence Dogood..." I mused. "Benjamin Franklin? Fifteen years old? Middle aged woman?"  
Ben grinned widely at me, the same knowing, mesmerised look he was so fond of giving me. I smiled back, happy he was impressed. We always seemed to be on the same level. That's right, I know things.

"-And you have the original letters?" Abigail asked from her place beside me, perched on the edge of the van which Riley had stopped in a park just off the main road. "You steal those too?" Hm, wouldn't put it past him.

"We have scans of the originals. Quiet please." Ha. He didn't tell _me _to shutup.

"How'd you get scans?" She continued, watching Ben pace back and forth with judgemental eyes. He turned to me, shooting an exasperated look in my direction. I wondered what he was going to do if she seriously wouldn't shut up. I hoped it would involve duct tape. This woman was a menace.

Honestly, she should've just been taking it as it came, which was what I was trying to do now that I knew Ben was a famous nut job and not just a weirdo off the street. Made me trust him more, which is weird, right?

"I know the person who has the originals, now shush."

There was a pause. We all knew it was coming.

"Why do you need them?" Abigail's tone was softer this time, like she was treading carefully, but Ben was nowhere near impressed.

"She really can't shut her mouth can she?" He looked from me to Riley questioningly. I just shrugged, as did Riley.

"I'll tell you what, look, I will let you hold on to this-" He passed Abigail the canister holding the Declaration. "-If you promise to shut up. Please." She took it and glared at him from beneath her heavily eye shadowed lids. It seemed to have quietened her down for now. "Thank you." Then he wandered off, murmuring things I couldn't hear to Riley. I thought maybe I heard the word 'Dad' but wasn't sure, as Abigail was talking to me in a hushed voice.

"Lorna," she hissed. I blinked at her.

"What?" I couldn't help but sound moody and snappy. She hadn't been very kind to me.

"These guys, we can't trust them." She didn't wait for a reaction from me, instead continued. "Distract Gates, I'll make a run for it with the Declaration. It's the only way to make it safe." I bit my lip, eyes casting down to the cylinder she held in her hands.

"But if he and his family are so adamant about this they're willing to have their name as mud, surely there must be some level of truth to this?" It didn't make much sense, I know, but it made more sense than a simple conspiracy theory, standing alone.

"If you do this Lorna," Abigail went on, ignoring my explanations, clearly sure of her decision. "I'll give you the job right now. You'll have a career, Lorna." She put her hand on mine, pleading with her eyes. "Please?"

It was a weak moment, for that one second I believed what she said was true. I was impressionable, slightly drunk and unsure of everything. Plus, she had offered me the job.

The question was, did I want it anymore? It was clear these guys needed help, I mean, I'd seen who they had on their tails, and it was clearly obvious who were the villains in this picture.

"Alright." I almost immediately regretted it as I stood up, heading over to Ben, mind reeling. I didn't know who to trust. Abigail would've been the smart choice, but she didn't seem to care much for other people's opinions.

"Ben?" I tugged on his sleeve. "Can I have a word? Privately?"  
"Uh-" He glanced at Abigail warily, and then smiled back at me. "Sure."

We went behind the van, leaving Riley to 'guard' as it were from the front seat. I bit my lip, and twiddled my fingers distractedly.

"So, what's up?" He asked kindly, his eyes sparkling. Damn. Why did they have to sparkle so nicely? I thought for a moment.

Would Abigail really give me the job? Mere minutes earlier, back in the van, she had said she would "personally make SURE the entire academic community knows NEVER to give you a job!" and she had seemed pretty adamant about that. I didn't believe for one second that she cared about anything more than the Declaration. She hadn't even bothered thanking Ben for rescuing her from those goons earlier.

I felt sorry for Ben. He was so lost. He only wanted to uncover the history, to protect the Declaration from those murderous thugs. I understood that. We had...Clicked.

Right then, my choice was made.

"Abigail's going to take the Declaration, stop her before-" Ben was gone before I could finish, racing around the side of the van and out of sight. I followed blindly, unsure if I felt guilty or not, only to walk into quite a struggle.

Ben was wrestling the Declaration out of Abigail's grasp while she fought futilely against him while screaming "Let me go!"

I watched in astonishment, unsure what to do, until Ben flung her off him, ripping the tube from her hands.

"Okay. You're let go, go, shoo."

"I'm not going, not without the Declaration."  
"You're not going _with_ the Declaration."

I brushed my bangs out of my eyes so they swept along my forehead in one direction. Abigail was going to kill me for ratting her out. It was hard, not knowing what side I was on, exactly. I was leaning towards Ben, because he was the one who was so adamant about this whole thing I couldn't help but wonder if what he was claiming had some truth to it.

"Abigail..." I began. "Maybe we should just hear these guys out, y'know-"

She whirled on me, blue eyes flashing angrily.

"It's Doctor CHASE to YOU!" She snapped, giving me a death stare. I recoiled, unsure how to react. Somehow I still respected the woman too much to hurl abuse at her. I was sure a time would come where I could, though. The 'respect' counter was dangerously low.

"Give her a break, she's just as confused as you." Ben defended, stepping in.

"You aren't taking the Declaration, and you _aren't _coming with us"

"I'm not letting it out of my sight so I'm going." Abigail yelled back, turning to face him.

"Do you know where we're going?"

Abigail watched him, and then pressed her lips together in a thin line.

"No, you don't." Ben continued in a patronising tone. He must have disclosed where he was going while she had been whispering to me. "We're leaving, and you're staying here."

"Fine." Then she gave both Ben and I one last glare before sweeping away.

"Aren't you going to pay for her taxi or something?" I watched her go, disappearing into the night.

"No time." Ben said simply, turning back to the van.

"The mean Declaration lady finally left, then?" Riley said casually as we approached the vehicle. I admitted he didn't sound particularly bothered by this turn of events.

"I made her leave." Ben shrugged, sliding the doors open for me. I got in gingerly.

"-And why's she invited?" I shot Riley a look when he said this, but secretly wondered what the answer was myself.

"Because she's curious." Ben said affectionately.

"And pretty, right?" Riley teased, almost sounding knowing.

"I guess." Ben answered casually.

"So I can come?" I cut in. He twisted around to face me.

"Do you want to come?"

I held his gaze for a few moments before I answered.

"Yeah."

He grinned, that killer smile that had had me hooked from day one.

"I think," he began, as if he was explaining his reasons for inviting me. "-if you have a passion for history...And...We kinda ruined your career, then we owe you something. At least the adventure of a lifetime."

He had a way with words, something that made me want to listen to him talk all day long.

"Plus," Riley added. "If you're willing to crouch on the floor and eaves drop on our conversation, you must be as interested in this as we are. And we like it when people believe us." He smiled his boyish grin at me and I mirrored it.

"Welcome to our circle."

"The circle of what? Criminals?" I smirked, realising I oddly didn't mind.

"Something like that." Ben chuckled.

I sat tight as the engine started, realising I had in fact just been called crooked. Still, I was pleased my life finally had some excitement in it, that maybe I wouldn't be going back to the diner, and wearing my old apron.

I was being noticed for once. It felt good. Ben Gates made me feel like I mattered. Which I realised, right there, was why all I wanted was to be near him.

Only thing was, I couldn't help but wonder about Doctor Chase...

**Please review! Then the next chapter will come sooner, and you'll find out where Abigail weeent! *Bribes***


	8. A map or something similar

**Thank you very much to the main reviewers Raine44354 and RopedMeASparrow, your reviews are lovely to read! Therefore, this chapter is dedicated to you :D**

**National Treasure is not mine, has never been mine, and will never be mine.**

Abigail marched down the pavement of the main road, furious. Everything that'd happened, everything that she had done and tried to do had resulted in the loss of the Declaration. It just didn't seem fair, how those three thieves had treated her. With no respect at all! Didn't they know who she was? They treated her like she was a bad person, like she was stupid! All she had wanted to do was protect the Declaration, and then Lorna had waltzed in with her pretty green eyes and wavy brown hair, and that guy, Gates, couldn't keep his eyes off her. Lorna would never be getting that job, and Gates would soon be safely locked up behind bars, once she reached the FBI back at the archives.

Then, a familiar truck was pulling up beside her, slowing to a halt just near her. The sides were silver, the front broken and crumpled after the car chase. Abigail froze as the door opened and the villain from earlier stepped out, running a hand through his greasy blonde hair.

"Abigail, is it?" He asked gently, moving towards her. "I'm Ian Howe. Are you alright?"

"Stay away from me." Abigail warned, clenching her firsts so she could deck him if necessary.

"No, no. You've got me wrong, I didn't mean to-"

"To what? Let me hang from the back of your catering truck? Spare me." She snarled in answer.

"But we both want the same thing."

Abigail listened. He must have seen how angry she looked, not to mention her lack of Gates and the Declaration.

"And what's that?"

Ian grinned.

"The Declaration."

"Oh yeah?" He had her attention, after all, it _was _what she wanted.

"Yes. You want it safe, I want to merely see if there is anything peculiar about the back of the document. Together, we can make it safe, and view the back without damaging it."

"I suppose," she mused. "-It was an interesting theory."

"Yes, and I want you safe, you shouldn't be wandering the streets, it's freezing." Her eyes widened, he was compassionate, he knew what she wanted, and he had the sexiest accent she had ever heart. Ben hadn't even offered her the money for the taxi fare after he had dismissed her.

"Gates. What do we do about him?" She asked, looking up at him, already willing to follow him along.

"Well, you could go and inform the FBI," Ian shrugged. "-or, you could come with me, and we could have some real fun."

"Revenge?"

"Yes," he almost laughed. "Revenge."

Abigail had never considered herself someone who would do these things. But she felt so hurt and betrayed, and Ian was the only one who had shown her compassion. Plus, if anything did show up on the back of the Declaration, she'd love to rub it in Gates' arrogant face, right before giving him up to the FBI.

"I'm very sorry for what happened earlier, but I never meant for it to get that out of hand." Ian continued, watching her. She nodded, offering him a smile.

"Alright. It's fine. Let's do this." Everything was falling into place. Ian held a hand out to her, grinning dashingly.

"Welcome aboard."

***

"Looks okay." Riley muttered, each of us craning our necks to see the large, looming house just near where we loitered in the van.

"Park a couple of blocks away." Ben ordered.

"Isn't your Dad going to be mad you're just, showing up at this time of night?" I asked, unsure whether or not I wanted to stick around for the introduction bit.

"Probably." Ben shrugged. "But I can handle that."

I bit my lip. We'd see about that.

We parked up a couple of blocks away, which I already knew would be murder on my feet. If I'd have known I'd be doing that I wouldn't have worn heels.

We all jumped out of the van and walked briskly down the pavement, the chilly night air biting at my exposed shoulders. I rubbed at them, shuddering slightly. Ben saw my movement and started shrugging his tuxedo jacket off.

"Ben, you don't have to-"

"No, you look freezing, here." He placed the jacket over my shoulders. I blushed and looked away, murmuring thanks. I'd never been good with the whole flirting thing, if that was what was going on here. I clutched the fabric against me, keeping up my pace with the two men on either side of me. I found myself drawing in the scent from Ben's jacket. It was spicy but sweet, a kind of, muted smell, it was nice; I liked it, too much.

I was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling that everything was happening too fast, that I couldn't settle in with these men until I had some solid proof of their claims. Of course I would be getting these answers soon, once we checked over the Declaration, but for now, I thought asking questions was the best way to cope until we arrived at Ben's dad's house.

"So you think you're going to somehow find a map on the back of the Declaration?" I questioned, glancing over at Ben.

"A map..." He mused. "Or something similar."  
I nodded, turning what he had just said over in my mind.

"Something similar...Like a code, maybe?"

Ben looked at me, seeming surprised.

"Yeah, something like that." He smiled.

We arrived at the house soon after that. It was huge, very beautiful, with a long driveway that lay there just to torture my feet that bit more until I could finally sit down. We all walked up the driveway quickly, I was at the back, of course, because Ben and Riley took one step to every three of mine. You girls get it, walking in heels with men can be near impossible.

Ben rang the doorbell, and I braced myself, feeling suddenly very exposed, standing in between these two men on one of their father's doorstep. I remembered the jacket on my shoulders and instinctively shrugged it off, shoving it into Ben's arms. He gave me an odd look, then pushed it back.

"Keep it!"

"No!" I hissed back, throwing it at him. "Do you realise how _bad _it'd look if you turn up on your dad's doorstep with a girl wearing your-"

"Where's the party?" Ben and I looked up when we heard the older mans voice. That was just my luck, halfway through argument when the guy answered the door. And of course, I was still holding the jacket.

"Dad." Ben gestured to Riley and I. "I'm in a bit of trouble."

**So what did you think? Let me know, I'll be updating as soon as I get reviews :)**


	9. X marks the spot

**Thank you again to all who reviewed! You have no idea how much I appreciate it, keep giving me feedback! :D**

**I do not own National Treasure or any of the characters or plot. Lorna is mine however.**

His father didn't look too impressed. He looked to be in his sixties, hadn't aged particularly well, and wore large, round glasses. I got the feeling Ben and his dad didn't get on in certain areas, and felt uncomfortable straight away.

"She pregnant?"

I did a double take. _What?? _How rude, I couldn't even fathom why he'd say that about me!

"Excuse me!?" I found myself saying suddenly, squaring up to the man. He reeled back slightly. I felt a restraining hand on my shoulder, Ben's no doubt.

"Lorna, just...let it go." He murmured in my ear. I regarded him from my peripherals and then sighed, taking a step back.

"Nice to meet you." I said under my breath grudgingly.

Everyone filed inside, as Ben passed his father in the door way he said 'she's _not _pregnant, by the way." And his dad responded "In that case, this better not be about that dumb treasure."

I flinched when I heard that, and made a point of hurrying Riley into the living room.

"This isn't going to be fun, is it." I said quietly to Riley, who looked at me.

"I guess we'll see."

"Well, have a seat, make yourself comfortable, there's some pizza...Still warm I think." Patrick announced as he entered, suddenly deciding to be more homely and welcoming. It freaked me out. I noticed Riley homing in on the open pizza box, and chose to stay away myself. Barely warm pizza wasn't one of my favourites. Ben entered the room and gave me a reassuring look, still clutching the quiver holding the Declaration over his shoulder. He looked hot with it, but of course, I wasn't going to tell him that.

Ben got straight to the point.

"Dad, I need the Silence DoGood letters." When his father looked at him almost angrily, Ben seemingly answered his thoughts. "Yeah , it's about the treasure."

"-And he dragged you two into this nonsense?" The older man turned on Riley and I. We swapped looks.

"Well, I kind of...Staggered into this nonsense." Ben's father looked at me oddly. "There was a lot of free champagne at the party tonight."

"I volunteered." Riley added.

"Well un volunteer!" The man snapped. "Before you waste your life!" Well, it was good to know this guy was supportive of his son, and the dramatic decision I had made no more than an hour ago. "Look at you!" He whirled on me. I widened my eyes, almost disbelieving. What did he want now? To call me fat again? "You're a young, respectable woman, what're you doing here?" Well, he obviously didn't think I was respectable otherwise he wouldn't have assumed I was pregnant with the child of a guy I'd just met.

"Knock it off, Dad." Ben snapped, coming to my rescue, and most likely, his fathers, before I raised my voice at him like I had on the doorstep.

"Of course. I know, I'm the family kook. I have a house, a job, health insurance-" Health insurance? What? He was just making stuff up now. Then he was going on and on about God knows what, Ben's mom or something. I lost interest fast, instead I was amusing myself with the slowly worsening look of exasperation on Ben's face.

"Look, if you just give us the letters, we're gone."

"You disappoint me Ben." His dad countered. I cocked an eyebrow. This guy certainly had an opinion on the treasure hunting matter.

"Well maybe that's the real Gates family legacy, sons who disappoint their fathers."

I winced at Ben's response, and I could see Riley doing so too. That was harsh, but Mr Gates wasn't exactly being helpful.

"Get out." He snapped, making me flinch. "Take your troubles with you." I hoped that wasn't code for 'take Lorna and Riley with you.' Because that would've been very rude.

Ben hesitated. I wondered how he was going to respond, because we certainly couldn't leave, we had nowhere else to go.

"I found the Charlotte."

That one line made my head spin. What was the Charlotte? And what did it have to do with the treasure? I watched Ben firmly, then glanced at his father, who was no doubt as surprised as I was by the statement.

"_The _Charlotte? You mean she was a ship?"

A ship...Had there been something on it that was important? I wondered whether The Charlotte was something fabled in the Gates family. I would have to ask about that later.

"Yeah, she was beautiful. It was amazing Dad." Ben smiled in response, triumphant. He seemed so pleased with himself, I only hoped his dad didn't shoot him down-

"-And the treasure?"

Ugh, I should've seen that coming.

Ben seemed to be thinking the same thing, because the exasperated look on his face had returned. I wanted to slap a bit of sense into this father of his. He could've at least been proud of his son for finding an ancient ship.

"No, no, but we found another clue that led us here-" A clue? So they'd been given a clue about the Declaration. I wanted to know immediately what it was, and straight away I was pleased I had chosen to come along, even though at first it hadn't been of my own free will. This was getting very interesting, but I kept quiet, not interrupting this almost argument Ben was having with his Dad.

Then the older man was talking fast about reasons why the treasure wasn't real...trying to break Ben down no doubt. It made me really angry to see that. My dad had always been supportive of me. While Ben's ideas were a bit crazy, I was still annoyed this man was ignoring the clear talent his son had in clue solving.

"-The treasure is a myth."

"I refuse to believe that." Ben's simple but firm answer made my stomach do an uncomfortable flip. He was so unbelievably passionate! Up for the cause! He truly believed the treasure was real, and that was so admirable. He was so determined. I loved it. That one sentence had summed up my attitude to this entire thing. Ben wasn't lying, he wasn't insane, he was just a man trying to carry on his family's legacy. And any man who cared that much was alright with me.

Finally his father was backing down, and we could all breathe a sigh of relief. I decided maybe it was a good time to say something supportive to Ben.

"So," I said conversationally, acting as though the two men had never argued. "-we checking this thing out or what?"

Everyone looked at me. I smiled confidently in Ben's direction.

"X marks the spot, right?"

Ben grinned widely at me.

"Let's find out."

**I know it's a bit short, but I couldn't concentrate with my writing recently and I just wanted to update quick, so I will make sure the next chapter is longer, Patrick's house is the hardest to write with OC's anyway! Remember to review! :D**


	10. Abigail Chase eat your heart out

**A longer chapter like I promised! (at least, it was longer on word, on here it looks so much shorter). **

**Enjoy and please remember to review :)**

**I do not own any of this content, only Lorna.**

He ran to through the parlour doors and into what must've been the dining room. I scurried in after him quickly, almost shoving Riley out of the way in the process. I don't think either of us wanted to be the last in the room with his dad.

I stumbled through the door frame but Ben didn't look up, he was staring intently at the roll of paper he stretched out on the table. My God. It was the Declaration of Independence, right there, in front of me. Learning about the history of America in both high school and college had made me dream of moments like this. Okay, maybe not involving a dining room table, but you get the gist.

I had to cover my mouth to stop myself gasping in awe.

And then Riley was nudging me. I glanced at him, he was holding out a pair of dish washing gloves. I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged.

"Precaution."  
"Of course." I rolled my eyes, slipping them on.

I advanced towards the table warily, not wanting to breathe in the presence of such history. Ben was touching it like it was no big deal, even though his eyes said differently.

Before my job had been cruelly torn away from me, this would have been what I was aiming towards, working my way up the food chain and finally being able to be in charge of document preservation, just like Abigail. Who I chose to keep out of my mind after everything she had done.

Yet here I was, having taken a leap of faith, thinking I'd never have to worry about my career again now I was on the adventure of a lifetime, and it had come back to me. The thing I had always wanted to do, document preservation. If Ben would let me touch the Declaration, that is. I was good with science, I knew how to treat a document of such age.

Then it hit me. This was the moment I would find out if Ben's story was true or not, whether him and his family were just cooks, and I really was thrown out onto the street with no career, not even an adventure to cushion the fall.

The prospect was daunting.

So I moved quicker, suddenly feeling very eager.

"Amazing, right?" He looked up at me, smiling triumphantly. It amused me that he didn't seem to care about what he'd done to get here. Which was probably one of the reasons I was liking him more and more.

"It'll be more amazing if you're theory is right. Then," I paused, smiling cheekily. "Then I'll be impressed."

"Looks like animal skin." Ben's dad said from the doorway. We all glanced up. "How old is it?"

"At least two hundred years." Ben answered distractedly, frowning deeply.

"Really? You sure?"  
"Pretty darn."

I smirked.

"Now if this thing is in invisible ink, how do we look at it?" Riley asked, looking at us all. I pondered for a moment. I was pretty sure, being a partial science nerd as well as a history geek, that invisible ink could only be brought out with-

"Heat. Throw it in the oven." Ben's dad cut in. He was getting on my nerves, even more so than he had when I'd first met him mere minutes before. But of course, we weren't going to throw the Declaration of Independence in the oven. That'd be a stupid idea. So we did what sane people would do at that suggestion. We yelled, loudly.

"No!"

Ha, we said it in unison. How cool are we?

"Higher sulphate inks can only be brought out with heat." The older man continued, almost showing off with his knowledge. I almost rolled my eyes and said 'I know', but didn't want to come across as a jerk.

"It's very old." Ben said calmly, staring his dad down, then looking at me. "We can't risk compromising the map."

Yes, the map. When would I be seeing this thing? I was fed up of questioning my decision. Once I saw this thing for real, there would be no doubt in my mind that Ben was telling the truth.

"You need a reagent." Ben's father said smugly, vanishing away from the door frame he had previously been standing in. Ben insisted it was late, obviously trying to get rid of the guy, but he insisted he was 'fine'. Damnit, and so close too. I've never known a parent be so irritating.

A bowl of lemons was sat on the table, which Riley had surely brought in with all the convenient pairs of gloves. So the Gates family had random bowls of lemon segments in their houses. Interesting. I hadn't eaten a lemon for years. Not that I was going to start now.

It became apparent rather quickly that Ben was staring me out, as if he could hear my inner monologue and was waiting for me to finish it. I quickly did so and looked at him, feeling my cheeks redden.

"....Yes?" I smiled almost nervously at him and he held out a lemon segment. I looked at him like he was mental.

"What...?" Surely he wasn't expecting me to-

"We ruined your chances of a career. This is the closest you're going to get, for now at least." He smiled slightly and nodded. "You can do this Lorna, I know you can. I trust you."

I didn't know how to react. The way this guy treated me was phenomenal. I wasn't just a useless, deadbeat waitress to him, I was a person, someone he thought was great, someone he already trusted. It was nice to feel wanted, and to feel special. I was loving Ben more and more.

"Alright." I took the lemon, breathed out and leaned over the Declaration. I could smell the age, musty, slightly chemically, no doubt from all of the chemicals kept on it to keep it preserved. I didn't want to touch it, but knew it was now or never, that what I did now would seal my fate.

"From what I can remember from high school history," I murmured, staring intently at the faded scrawl on the parchment. "-the upper right hand corner is always significant." I looked at Ben for recognition, knowing it was right if he agreed. After all, I was a bit rusty.

"That's right." I could almost hear it in his voice, he was impressed. Again, making me feel special. The guy had some sort of magic power. Or he was just awesome with the ladies. Either way, he had _my_ attention.

"Abigail Chase, eat your heart out." I smirked, dabbing the cotton bud on the flesh of the lemon before moving in for the kill.

***

"Abigail." Ian placed a mug of coffee in front of the blonde, who sat back in the comfy sofa of Ian's flat. It was nicer than she had anticipated. "Would you like to take a look at this?"

The British man produced a beautiful miashawn pipe, an item Abigail had only dreamt of seeing in real life. She took it in her hands, turning it over and over in awe.

"This is beautiful...So Gates wasn't lying."

"No, it's quite real. I've written down what it means." He passed her a sheet of paper with a riddle written upon it. Abigail scanned it with her heavily eyeshadowed eyes.

The legend writ

The stain affected

The key in Silence undetected

Fifty-Five in iron pen

Mr Matlack can't offend

He recognition of the word 'Silence' was immediate. She would've known who it was referring to even if Gates hadn't mentioned the letters.

"This word," she gestured to 'Silence'. "It's a name. Gates spoke about it, the Silence Dogood letters."

She was met with all around blank stares. She sighed and explained in great detail who Silence Dogood was, and what Benjamin Franklin had to do with it all.

"Brilliant." Ian grinned widely at the woman, who returned it. They watched each other for a moment, flirty. Abigail liked it. "These letters, where are they now?" Ian wondered aloud, clearly hoping Abigail would know the answer. She shrugged.

"Gates said he knew the person with the originals, but I don't know who-"

"Got it." McGregor called from the coffee table. He was busily tapping away on a laptop. Everyone ran to him, surrounding him as they peered over his shoulder. "The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia." He pointed at the top result on 'Yahoo search'. Ian patted his friend firmly on the back.

"Good job McGregor. Let's all get some shut eye, we'll head out in the morning." He made for a nearby door, no doubt leading into his own bedroom. Abigail stood.

"And where can I sleep?"

Ian turned to her and grinned.

"My bed, if you'd like."

Abigail's smile back was cheeky, almost devilish.

"Perfect."

**Get your mind out of the gutter. It's not what you think! Or is it? You can decide, whatever. I hope you liked, remember to review! :D**


	11. It'd be no fun without the clues

**Sorry I took so long updating, I couldn't get in touch with my muse. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, hope you like this chapter. I did rush it a little...because I wanted to update and I wanted to get out of Patricks house! :P**

**So yeah, review! And I do not own this wonderful film.**

I tried to refrain from flipping Ben's dad off when he said 'I told you, you need heat' from the doorway. Seriously, how many times did the guy have to insist on being right? We could _see _it hadn't worked, we all had common sense, it wasn't like we weren't going to try heating the thing up. After I had finished complaining inwardly, a rush of excitement coursed through me as I realised we could potentially find this thing out now. Too bad we didn't have a hairdryer...

Ben was leaning forward, moving his face closer to the aged paper. I watched him oddly, and only understood what he was aiming for when he looked up at me knowingly. We locked eyes and then I was leaning forward too. We swapped one more look and then breathed out at the same time onto the space in the corner.

Immediately an image flashed up, the mark of the masons. The recognition made my stomach lurched. So he hadn't been lying at all. My gratification for Ben Gates hot up immediately and I couldn't help but turn and smile widely at him. He was doing the same. I wanted to grab hold of him and kiss him for telling me the truth and opening up my mundane and more or less ruined life (thanks to Abigail) to a world of adventure. I was so thankful.

"We need more juice." He said breathlessly, finally looking away from me. I straightened up.

"-And a hairdryer." Not that Ben's dad had a huge amount of hair to dry anyway.

Ben grinned at me and insisted I go to the kitchen and grab some lemons form the fridge. I nodded and dashed out of the room, running so fast out of excitement I almost knocked Ben's father over in the process.

"Watch where you're going." He said firmly, catching my arm to steady me. I looked at him, smiling fakely.

"Alright. Sorry."

"I want you to be careful." His tone was hushed now, he didn't want anyone to hear. I watched him oddly.

"What?"  
"Don't let Ben ruin your life, like he ruined his own."

How rude. I made my own decisions, and there was nothing else I could do with my life. Nothing to go back to. A waitressing job? I didn't think so, and Ben had just proved the Declaration of Independence wasn't what it seemed. I think I was going to trust him more.

"I think I'll manage." I answered curtly, tearing my arm from his grasp and marching down the corridor and into the kitchen. The fridge wasn't too hard to find, and unusually neither were the lemons, there was a bowl of them on the top shelf. I wasn't about to question Ben's dad's idea of grocery shopping, but what the hell..?

Shaking it off, I turned on my heel and headed back to the dining room. Ben and Riley were already wetting the paper with the lemon juice, and when I ran in Ben eagerly produced a notepad and pen.

I plugged the hairdryer into a nearby socket and set to work, at first putting the power on too high so the Declaration almost flew across the table. Luckily Riley stopped it with one hand while I tried hard to hide my face as my cheeks steadily grew a deep shade of pink. I wasn't clumsy, it was merely the excitement, I could barely do anything with my hands shaking that much.

As my hand moved down the page, codes flashed up, not for long, but with enough time for Ben to scribble them down carefully. It was amazing, seeing them appear. I snuck a glance at Ben every so often, smiling to myself and at him, even though he wasn't looking my way, because I was so filled with adoration for him. He'd taken this chance and stolen the Declaration. Sure what he had done was rather criminal, but he'd been right. I hoped nothing would happen to him after this, because he was a great man, a kind man, who didn't deserve to be put behind bars, especially when he was so passionate. I wanted him safe, after all, he was the only person in a long time who had shown such compassion before me, and trusted me with this, working on the Declaration, knowing it was my own passion.

I realised right then and there that I was falling in love with Ben Gates.

"That's not a map." Riley sounded unimpressed. I shot him a look. He watched me innocently. "Is it?"

"More clues. What a surprise." Patrick said snidely from somewhere random in the room. I glared at him.

"Well that's the idea behind a treasure hunt, isn't it?" I snapped, widening my eyes threateningly. "It'd be no fun without the clues."

I saw Ben smiling widely at me. There was a glint in his eyes that told me perhaps he was looking at me in the same light as I was him. We had a mutual understanding. I wondered if that was the attraction. I knew how his mind worked, as did he with mine. It felt wonderful to have such a connection with someone.

"Are those latitudes and longitudes?" Riley cut in. I blinked, glancing at the codes closely.

"I don't think so..." I murmured. "They look like-"

"It's an Ottendorf cipher." Ben explained, pointing at the numbers he had written down. "Each of these numbers corresponds to a word in a key."

"-And this key is..." I thought about it for a moment. _The key in Silence undetected. _Of course!

"The Silence Dogood letters." Ben finished, smiling at me once more. "So it's like, the page number of the key text, the line on that page and the letter in that line." He looked pleased with himself, and peered up at his father expectantly. "So, Dad, where're the letters?"

Then he was off. Ben's father was talking about where he found the letters...which was all very well and interesting, but it couldn't have been clearer that he was just buying time before he told Ben-

"I don't have them., son."

Both Ben and I said it at once.

"What?"

"I don't have them." Oh my God, What a douche. Seriously, couldn't he have told us this earlier!? This man was not helpful. At all.

Ben was angry now, acting like a ten year old boy who wasn't allowed a certain toy. He ripped one of the gloves off his hand with his teeth and sighed.

"Where are they?"

Patrick responded curtly.

"I donated them to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia."

We all looked at each other.

"Time to go."

Man was I ready to go. I stood abruptly, glancing around expectantly. I saw Ben looking around with a frown on his face. I wondered what we were going to do next.

"Ben." I murmured, assuming no-one could hear me but him. "What are we going to do about your dad? The FBI are sure to show up, and then what? He finds out from them that you stole the-" Ben shushed me abruptly as his father came into view.

"Stole the what?" He glared at me.

"Uhhh. Nothing." I smiled, heading to the Declaration, beginning to roll it up. Ben's dad caught my wrist. I released the document instinctively and the older man had a look.

"Oh my God, oh my God." He murmured, face contorted into a look of utter distress.

"I know!" Ben snarled from across the room. I reddened and shrunk back, joining Riley in the corner as the two men argued. The heated discussion flew back and forth, with Ben continuously shouting 'I know!' while his dad continued hurling accusations around.

I would have said something and backed Ben up, but quite frankly it was a family affair and I didn't want to get caught in the middle of _that._

Suddenly Ben was brushing past me and down the corridor to the kitchen. I watched him with raised eyebrows, and swapped a look with Riley?

"Do you know what he's doing?" I asked.

"Not a clue." Riley responded.

"This is ridiculous, ridiculous. I can't believe this. You're all criminals." The elder man chunnered to himself, pacing back and forth.

Then Ben reappeared, clutching a roll of duct tape. I watched with growing confusion as he approached his father.

"Sit down." He ordered. His dad blinked at him.

"What?"

"Dad, just sit down. It's for the best, the FBI won't suspect-"

"The FBI? I don't believe this! Oh my God!"

Ben turned and shot Riley and I a helpless glance. Riley looked at me for guidance once more and I shrugged.

"I'll bite."

And I headed over, standing next to the older man.

"What's up?" I hissed. I wasn't sure I wanted to know, but c'est la vie.

"We need to make sure dad doesn't get in trouble for this." He murmured, then shook the duct tape for effect.

"-And what does the tape have to do with all this?" My eyes focused on the silver roll and then back on Ben's face.

"Work with me here."

I paused. Oh God, he didn't want me to...Ha. No chance.

"What!? No! No way! I've already helped you commit a major crime I'm not tying your dad to chair too!"

"What was that?" Ben's dad interrupted.

I noticed Ben was continuing to stare me down, and soon it became apparent I had no other way to do this.

"Alright fine. What's his name?" I checked, sidling up to Ben.

"Patrick."

"Patrick." I twisted to face the other man. "We don't want you in any trouble, so I'm gonna need you to sit there quietly."

I don't actually have a way with words, which is why I missed out the part where we were going to attack him with duct tape.

Thankfully Patrick sat down in the armchair and looked up at me.

"Now what?"

"Um." I glanced at Ben, who stooped down and explained the situation to Patrick. He looked momentarily disapproving, but Ben's words somehow calmed him and before you could say 'Silence Dogood' Patrick was secure and we were on our way. I personally found the whole thing very entertaining. Sadly my offer to use what was left of the tape to cover Patrick's mouth were denied by Ben, but at least I tried. Still, the guy deserved to be stuck there. He was a severe pain in the ass.

You can imagine that I was even more pleased to find out we would also be jacking Patrick's ride. The evening had suddenly taken an extremely entertaining turn.

Of course, jacking a car paled in comparison to stealing the Declaration of Independence and running chemical tests on it, but I was still trying to fathom whether or not that had actually happened. I was still too amazed. Despite all the crime, my life was a lot better now I had met Ben Gates.

**Review?**


	12. You handsome handsome thing

**HELLO ALL! I am in a FANTASTIC mood. So I thought why not update!? So here it is. Sorry for the wait, I'm doing 'To find a treasure hunter' at the same time (which proved a rather silly idea as I fail at multi tasking) so I'm taking longer to update. ANYWAY. Enjoy :D**

**I DON'T OWN NATIONAL TREASURE I ONLY OWN LORNA. SO YEAH.**

I sat in the front seat next to Ben, occasionally slipping him a smile which he kindly returned. Riley was more or less asleep in the back seat, spread across it. Ben revved the engine and shot out of the garage after opening the door with the flick of a switch. The car screeched as we rounded the corner and raced down the road. I felt exhilarated, fast cars were excellent, not when they were so fast you got pulled over by the cops, but still, awesome.

"Wow." I murmured, grinning. "This is-"

"A sweet ride." Riley cut in sleepily from the back seat. I nodded, those would've been my exact words, and Riley had quite a way with those. Not as much as Ben, I hasten to add. That man could convince me to rob a bank with the right words.

"I think we should change clothes." Ben mused. "We look kinda, conspicuous, don't you think?" I grinned at him after checking my attire.  
"A little." I smirked. "So where do you suggest?"

"I'd love to go shopping too but we have no money." Riley pointed out. I deflated. That was a damper on my vibe. While I still wasn't the shopping type, buying some comfortable jeans wouldn't have hurt.

"Here, I took this from his house." I jumped at the chance to rob something else from Patrick. I genuinely disliked that guy. Ben was handing me a small book, which looked pretty old. That didn't surprise me, the Gates family were obsessed with history right? "He usually tucks a few hundred dollars between those pages."

"Oh yeah?" I glanced at the title, 'common sense' and opened it to find numerous bills tucked up inside. "Nice."

"When are we going to get there?" Riley whined. "I'm hungry."

I turned and glared at him, though I couldn't deny I was hungry too. "This car smells weird."

***

The three of us sat at the table of a small diner just off the highway, sipping coffee and eating doughnuts. Riley had gone all out with the kids meal, but Ben and I had just gone with the coffee and doughnuts. We were both too excited to eat much, despite the hunger. I personally couldn't wait for this Silence Dogood thing.

"So I was thinking." Ben muttered, sipping his coffee. "You could go decipher the clue, Riley, while Lorna and I get some new threads." I glanced around when he said that, noticing that people were still looking at us oddly for how we were dressed. They had done when we walked in, and they were still doing it now. It bothered me particularly that some men at the bar were ogling me most blatantly, and I wondered if the blue number had been a good idea after all.

It had Ben's attention though, and that was the only attention I wanted.

"I'm not the one with the gigantic brain, Ben." Riley rolled his eyes, as if the idea of him going to get the clue was insane.  
"It's just a matter of time Riley. You won't have to figure it out, you just need to write down the letters the cipher gave us."

"Alright, if it'll shut you up."

We finished the rest of the meal in silence, deliberately ignoring that loveable little jerk Riley after he had told Ben to shut up. A few times he had told us we were being immature, but he was the worst one for immaturity, so his words meant nothing.

Finally we stood up, heading back to the car. We walked quickly past the bar, Ben in front, Riley second and me at the back. And you'll never freakin' guess what happened next.

One of the pervy guys sitting at the bar span around on his chair and slapped my butt, hard. I swivelled around, furious, after yelling out angrily.

"What the HELL!?" Ben whirled, stopping so abruptly Riley smacked into his back.

"Ben-What?"

"Is there a problem here?" Ben marched forward, pushing me behind him defensively as the creepy guy wearing a truckers cap grinned.

"Nothin' man. You just know how it is." He craned his neck to look at me again. I hid further behind Ben before I shot my mouth off.

"No he _doesn't _know how it is! Ben is a _decent _human being!"

"Just say sorry to the lady and there doesn't need to be any trouble here." Ben warned, staring the man down. At first he laughed, but when Ben didn't falter or move in his glaring, he was so freaked out he apologised on the spot. That was another reason why I liked Ben, he wasn't a violent guy.

We all left the diner in high spirits, even me, because Ben had done all that chivalrous defending. What a guy.

Then we were back on the road again, on our way to Philadelphia.

The sun was coming up now, and I knew it would still be a while until we arrived at the Franklin Institute, so slumped down in my chair, closing my eyes tight and letting slumber whisk me away.

***

"Lorna. Lorna, wake up." I stirred, opening my eyes slowly but closing them almost immediately after due to the bright sunlight that shone down through the windscreen.

"Lorna. You gotta wake up, we're here."

"Lemme do it." Suddenly the chair I was slumped in jerked violently. I jumped up alarmed and looked around wildly. Riley was sitting behind me with a smirk on his face, having just slammed his foot into the back of the chair to wake me up.

"Jerk..." I murmured irritably, straightening my dress out and patting my hair down. I glanced around, suddenly seeing Ben sitting beside me, smiling. I blinked at him and instinctively checked myself, knowing I looked like crap.

"It's alright. We're getting changed first. There's an Urban Outfitters just around the corner. You awake enough for that?" I'm awake now I've seen _you. _You handsome, handsome thing.

"Course." I smiled coyly. "Let's get outta here."

"I'll meet you guys back there in an hour." Riley told us as we all climbed out of the car. "I've got a plan for the letters. See you in a few."

Ben and I waved vaguely as he scurried off down the street, sheet of ciphers in hand.

"So," Ben turned heading off down the sidewalk. I followed, glancing around the busy street. It was a bright day in Philadelphia, pleasing me since the night before had seemingly gone on forever. Thankfully all the adventure and excitement had sobered me up, otherwise I would surely have been hungover. "Are you feeling better about this whole thing now?"

"Oh yeah." I smiled bad. "The codes on the back of the Declaration synched it for me. Well, actually, touching the Declaration of Independence synched it for me."

Ben laughed.

"I thought you'd like that."

"Thanks, by the way, for trusting me so much. I really do appreciate it." I appreciated it so much more than he could have imagined. I appreciated _him. _

"You're great, why wouldn't I trust you?" I don't know, maybe because I ran up to you _drunk _in the street and screamed at you? Because I eavesdropped on you on my hands and knees? Or maybe because I ratted you out to the FBI!?

"I don't know." That's right Lorna...Tell him what he wants to hear!

"Well then there's no reason to worry, is there?" He smiled dashingly at me and my heart beat ever faster. It was that think he did with his smile...it was a killer.

"Ah, here we are." He gestured casually to the Urban Outfitters store across the street. "M'lady?" He inclined his arm towards me and I giggled, taking it.

"Sir." And we marched across the road, onward to a new level in our relationship.

**Please review, yeah? I love you guys!**


	13. Does it rhyme with measure?

**BAH. Sorry I've taken a lifetime to update. I went to see the Jonas Brothers (shame) and LOVED it, so I've been fangirling all over them for the past week and a half. SO, here is the new update. I hope you like, remember to reviewwww**

**I DO NOT OWN THIS PLOT, OR THESE CHARACTERS. I do, however, own Lorna. So at least that's something.**

I'd found some very nice clothes to wear on our little adventure. My philosophy was, why not look nice while hunting for treasure? Lara Croft did it effortlessly, why couldn't I? I slung the last item over my arm, a pair of tight jeans. The top I had chosen was a simple white vest, with a brown jacket to go over the top. The collar was turned up and a thick, black belt held it together in the centre. I had some faded brown Converse All Stars for my feet. Ben had gone off on his own to find some clothes, and coincidentally reappeared when I reached the changing rooms.

"Ah, fancy seeing you here." I smirked, shutting the door to my cubicle.

"Yeah, it's funny how things like that work out." Ben humoured me, vanishing into the cubicle beside mine.

"So I was thinking," I said loudly, for Ben to hear as I pulled the blue dress over my head.

"Yeah?" He answered, sounding close. I liked that, Ben being close calmed the thought of Ian being somewhat closer.

"Your dad didn't seem to have much faith in you back there."

"Yeah, he's never been into the whole treasure thing." Ben answered softly, the rustling of him changing clothes distracting me. The lustful part of my brain wanted me to peak around the wall between us to see, but as you know, I'm far to civilised to do that. Well, I like to believe that anyway.

"-And by that you mean, he thinks it's all crap?"

"Pretty much."

I thought about that for a moment. It was fair enough, but Patrick shouldn't have been such a jerk about it.

"And he's never been all that supportive of you, has he?"

There was a pause, and for a moment I wondered if I had overstepped the mark a little. Then he answered, and my stomach untwisted.

"I guess I haven't made the right decisions in life."

"Like how?" I frowned, pulling my jeans on, one leg at a time.

"He thinks I've been a little too cavalier in my personal life." Ohh. So Ben was a player. Nice.

"Shall I assume that's why he asked if I was pregnant?"

"Hey, I never condoned that." I could hear a smile in his voice. "-But yeah, pretty much."

"Interesting." I murmured, smiling to myself. So Ben Gates wasn't as perfect as I thought. I admitted inwardly that I kind of liked that. Not everyone was perfect, and Ben was no exception.

"Let me ask you something. Have you ever told someone, not a relative, I love you?"

I stood still for a moment, jacket in hand, thinking back. There had been Robert, back in high school who I'd thought was the one...and I was pretty sure...

"Yeah, I guess I have."

I could hear Ben's voice closer now, as if he was at the door of his cubicle. I pulled my jacket on gingerly as he spoke, nervous about recalling my relationships past.

"More than one someone?"

I went to the door to check if he was as close as I thought, and was surprised to see he was leaning over, looking at me. I blinked for a moment, then recalled my most recent boyfriend, Henry. We'd been together for a year and a half. I'd thought that was love, until he left me for an ex. Ouch.

"Yeah."

"Oh." Ben moved away and out of sight. "Then my father would say you're a little too cavalier in your personal life too."

I buckled the belt at my waist and scoffed. The truth was, I couldn't give a crap what his father thought of me, but I wasn't about to tell Ben that. I didn't want to offend such a lovely guy, eager to protect his family history.

"Maybe I have. I suppose I've rushed into things too fast, in the past." I frowned deeply, and wondered fleetingly if I had rushed into this thing with Ben too fast, but on an afterthought decided this felt right. When I'd started relationships with Robert and Henry –the two men I thought I had truly loved- they'd been a bit quick, too quick, and even though I was smitten back then I had known it was a little rushed. Ben however, felt right. Everything about him felt like home, and that's how I knew I was slowly falling in love with him. I decided to change the subject, because _that _wasn't something I wished to share with Ben quite yet.

"By the way, that was really cool what you did in the diner."

"Staring the guy down?"

I sniggered.

"Yeah, that. Thanks for sticking up for me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

There he was again, asking that. I never knew how to answer.

"I dunno." I laughed it off, finally leaving he stall I was in. Ben was coming out too. We stopped and looked at each other, the same gaze on each face.

"You look..." Ben murmured, blinking and looking away. I simply blushed. The guy was adorable, I wanted to squeal and jump on his back like a fan girl, but I couldn't do that. Not in public anyway.

His eyes stayed locked on the wall opposing us, and I wondered for a moment what he was talking about.

"Ben." I shook his arm slightly, snapping him out of it. "Where were you then, what was going in that huge brain of yours?"

He grinned at me, making my heart pound faster than ever, like it did whenever he smiled at me like that.

"Guess."

"Does it rhyme with _measure_?"

"You got it." He laughed, pulling the money out of his wallet as we walked over to the pay desk. It was funny, I'd never paid for clothes while wearing them before. Ben did some odd things, but I didn't mind.

"You're so sure about this, aren't you. That the treasure exists."

"I hope it's real. I mean, I've dreamt about it since my grandfather told me about it. I want to hold it. I feel like I'm so close I can taste it...I just, I just wanna know it's not something in my head or in my heart."

My eyes sparkled at his words and my stomach flipped. He had so much passion, he was amazing, and what he had said had corresponded almost exactly with how I viewed this. I was sticking around for Ben, to help him, because he'd helped me, and now I hoped the treasure was real, for him, like he hoped it was for his grandfather. It was a beautiful thing we had, and the fact that I'm talking all mushy like just proved how head over heels I was for the guy. What a cheese ball I am.

"I've never...heard anyone talk that way before." I mused, catching his eye. "I wish more people talked that way."

"Maybe they don't speak it." Ben smiled. "-But they all think it."

We held each others gaze for a few more moments before Riley ran in, shouting our names, sounding out of breath, like he'd been running in excitement.

"Hey, Ben, Lorna check it out."

We both turned.

**It was difficult reworking the changing room conversation, because obviously Abby isn't here, but I'm pleased with how it came out, it was well within Lorna and Ben's characters. Anyway let me know what you thought. Until next time :D**


	14. What time is it Mr Wolf?

**Hello hello. Finally updating, sorry about the wait. I know this chapter isn't hugely interesting, but the first part will light the way to an interesting plot twist :P**

**I DO NOT OWN NATIONAL TREASURE. DISNEY DOES. DUH**

"Do you know what it means?" Ian asked, leaning over Abigail's shoulder as she read the one word the little boy had given him earlier.

"Yeah. It has to mean the Liberty Bell, Pass and Stow. The names of the men who cast the bell." She looked up at Ian for recognition and he nodded knowingly.

"So we go to the Liberty Bell?"

"I assume so, but there isn't enough of the clue." She thought for a second, unfazed by all the eyes of the surrounding henchmen. "These clues are ancient, much like the one on the pipe. I don't think we should be visiting the bell...I think maybe we should be going to the place it once was." Slow realisation crept over Ian's face.

"Liberty Hall?" Abigail smiled smugly.

"Precisely."

***

"Did you get it Riley?" Ben sounded eager, and who could blame the guy, it was the next clue, and every time one of those popped up he was like a kid at Christmas. Aww.

"Oh I got it." Riley grinned, pulling out his slip of paper. Ben and I listened with eager ears as he read the clue. "The vision to see the treasured past, comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of Pass and Stow. Now Pass and Stow, of course, referring to-"

"Ooh! The Liberty Bell!" I said brightly, at the same time as Ben. We looked at each other with a knowing smile, then back at Riley, who didn't look too happy, if I'm honest.

"Why do you have to _do_ that?" I simply shrugged.

"Well I knew the answer. I did history at college remember." I flashed him a toothy grin. "John Pass and John Stow cast the bell."

"Well what does the rest of this mean?" He still sounded annoyed. Not that I really cared, the clue was the thing that mattered at present, and I was just as excited to hear about it as Ben was.

"Wait a minute." Ben was getting that look in his eye again, the amazing 'I'm the cleverest guy you'll ever meet' look. I loved it, and his brain. "The vision to see the treasured past must refer to a way to read the map."

"Invisibility makes everything ten times more difficult." I said irritably, even though it was plainly obvious why the whole invisibility thing had been done in the first place.

"I thought the cipher was the map." Riley added, sounded equally unimpressed.

"No the cipher was a way to find a way to read the map."

I did a double take.

"Wait, what?" That made no sense. At least to me.

"And the timely shadow..." Ben mused. "crosses in front of the liberty bell, revealing the way to read the map."

Oh. It all made sense now.

"Sounds complicated." I pointed out. "Are we assuming 'the house of Pass and Stow' is Independence hall, then?"

"Exactly." Ben smiled at me proudly, making me go all funny inside. You know the feeling, when you walk past your crush in the school hall? Yeah, just like that.

"Then what's the timely shadow?" Riley asked, brow furrowed, not on our wavelength.

"It must be a specific time." Ben murmured, looking deep in thought.

"What time?" Riley and I asked at once, glancing at each other and laughing at our unison.

Ben proceeded to muse about what time it could be. Then, clearly struck by another fantastic idea, he ran over to the store clerk and asked for one of the hundred dollar bills he had paid her with. Now, I didn't blame the woman for not wanting to give it back, but her shortness with Ben made my blood boil. I opened my mouth and went to step forward but Riley grabbed my arm and jerked me back, shaking his head sternly at me. I pouted and watched as Ben haggled with the woman, finally coming out victorious and bringing one of the notes back.

"Shall we make off with it?" I teased, pretending to get ready to run. Ben rolled his eyes and laughed.

"No we can't, she has my divers watch. But check it out, this is way cooler than a hundred bucks." He held up the note. "See the picture? It's based on a painting done in the 1780's of Independence Hall." He tapped the picture of the tiny building with one finger. I squinted, noticing there was also a tiny clock on the front, with tiny little hands pointing to tiny little numbers on the face. That must have been the specific time. "The artist was actually a friend of Benjamin Franklins. Hold this." He passed me the quiver containing the Declaration and I swung the strap over my shoulder, holding onto it tightly. "Now if we look at the clock tower..." He took a bottle of water from the counter and held it up over the note. "-We may find the specific time." He stared intently at the picture for a few moments while Riley and I waited with baited breath. I hoped to God the time would be soon, and we hadn't missed it. I didn't think I would be able to sleep knowing where the next clue was.

"What time is it, Mr Wolf?" I asked with a playful smirk. Ben gave me a slight chuckle before reading out what he saw.

"2:22." I immediately glanced at my watch, and sighed straight after.

"We missed it."

"No we didn't." Riley sounded as though he too was onto something. "We didn't miss it because…" He looked momentarily elated. "You don't know this?" Ben and I swapped looks as Riley continued to boast. "I know something about history that you don't know!"

"I'd be very excited to learn about it Riley." Ben answered irritably. I rolled by eyes, understanding why Riley was smug, but not necessarily condoning his behavior.

"Wait a minute, lemme just take in this moment…This is…This is cool…Is this how you feel, all the time? Except for now, of course-"

"Riley, I've never punched anyone before. Do you want me to start now?" I looked at him threateningly and he appeared to visibly gulp before carrying on, this time his tone less smug. Ben looked at me in admiration, which I found amusing, considering I had just threatened to punch his best friend.

"Alright!" His snippy tone would have made someone else recoil, but I just stood there and glared at him, bolshie as I am, while he continued, avoiding my gaze. "What I know, is daylight savings wasn't established until World War one." I actually couldn't believe I had forgotten that fact. My history lecturer had gone on and on about the daylight savings thing, claiming one day it'd come in handy. So here I was, gawping like an idiot at some nerd who knew next to nothing about the history of the world, getting my intellectual ass handed to me. Awesome. "If it's three pm now, that means in 1776, it'd be 2pm." I had to hand it to the kid, he had a good eye for this stuff, and he was showing Ben up, which was kinda funny.

"Riley you're a genius." I blinked and looked at Ben oddly. He was taking it well. Then suddenly he was running off down the stairs leading out of the store. I swapped looks with Riley and then dashed after Ben, hearing him say something about who came up with daylight savings. It was only a beat before Ben and I answered.

"Benjamin Franklin!"

**So everyone's going to Independence hall at the same time!? What's going to happen....? :P**


	15. Baked bean jigsaw puzzles

**Sorry for the delay you guys! I got a mild case of writers block. If you're reading my 'To find a treasure hunter' story, that's on hiatus for now, simply because of the writers block, and I've bitten off more than I can chew with two long stories, so I'll finish this one first, then I'll complete that :)**

**Anyway I hope you enjoy. Sorry again for the delay.**

**I do not own National Treasure. Jerry Bruckheimer and John Turteltaub do, aswell as Disney.**

So it was free to get in Independence Hall, which was pretty cool, despite the problems on entry because you needed a 'ticket'. I questioned the value of a ticket when it was free entry, but all I got was glares from the girl at the counter. It was perfectly good question, might I add, because using up that unnecessary paper is a danger to the environment. True facts.

We walked inside, traipsing behind one of the tour guides, who simply wouldn't shut up with her chirpy facts. Now usually I would've been all for learning extra things, but when there was possible treasure around, I wasn't willing to listen. Ben clutched a leaflet with a map of the building inside that he had swiped from the reception desk, and was figuring out which way we had to go to get to the roof. I walked beside him, with Riley on my other side, while we conversed about everything. I hadn't spoken to him that much, and decided now would be a good time, so I didn't have to listen to the bright tour guide.

"How long have you known that Ian guy for?" I asked, glancing at Riley. He looked at me from his peripherals, shrugging.

"About a year, give or take eighteen months." He sighed, as if that time was wasted.

"-And you didn't guess that he was a traitorous mad man?" I was half teasing, but realised I shouldn't have been doing so at all when Riley looked at me regretfully.

"No, I didn't. Wish I had though, would've saved a lot of...trouble." His eyes glazed over for a moment, and, realising he was having a flashback, I shrugged and turned back to Ben.

He was gone.

Looking about frantically for a moment, I saw he had veered off abruptly, and was heading towards a 'staff only' area of the building. A staircase, no doubt leading to the upper floors. I followed him, grabbing the sleeve of Riley's jacket as I went, hissing a swear word in Ben's direction. He ignored me and stepped over the chain, heading straight up the stairs. I sighed inwardly and ran after him, glancing behind to be sure the tour guide hadn't noticed we were missing.

Of course she wouldn't, we weren't famous yet.

Ben didn't say anything as he strode through the echoing halls, Riley and I following nervously, knowing we weren't allowed up there. I, quite frankly, wasn't alarmed by Ben's boldness, as he had snuck into the Gala and stolen the Declaration of Independence. Without asking. This must have been cake for him.

I glanced behind again, swearing I heard footsteps, but shook it off, telling myself it was imagination. The other two didn't seem to notice.

It wasn't long until we found the ladder leading up to the roof, a trap door closing off the view. I inwardly thanked Ben for sorting some other clothes out for me, because climbing a ladder would've been near impossible in a dress, both for the extra material part, and the part where Riley was below me.

Ben went first, clutching the rungs tightly as he scaled the apparatus. I followed, Riley below. I blinked back the strands of hair that went in my eyes as I looked up, subconsciously reminding myself to trim my bangs. Ridiculously long things. You'd think I learn, but I don't. Bangs look good, okay?

We came out on top, Ben climbing up first and holding a hand out to pull me up. I considered taking it, but being the stubborn woman I am, decided I could climb up on my own. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the kind gesture, but I'm a strong woman.

I scrambled up, taking in my surroundings. The top of Independence hall was beautiful, my hair ruffled in the breeze gently as I looked out over the roof, keeping one hand on the Centennial bell, as if to make sure it was really there. I'd never thought I could end up in a place like this, it was fantastic.

"Alright," Ben looked me in the eyes, that same fierce, passionate look he often gave me. I snapped out of my fangirling over the surrounding history and stared back into his eyes, catching another glimpse of the look that was making me fall for him. He had his hands on my shoulders, his touch making every part of me tingle. "I'm going to go down there and you two meet me in the signing room, okay?" Riley and I nodded absently, watching as he climbed over onto the roof. I felt a lump in my throat as I watched him go. I didn't want him to fall or anything, I was too attached to him.

"Lor, come on." I raised an eyebrow at Riley when he used the shortened version of my name. Nobody did that, not even my mom.

"Lor?" I smirked, pretending to be angry as we made for the trap door. Riley smiled back playfully.

"I just thought-"

He was cut off as the trap door smacked open violently, making us both jump. I almost hit the ceiling I jerked that suddenly. I realised I was clutching Riley tightly, so let him go abruptly, brushing myself off before glancing at the trap door, which was now ominously open, with _Ian Howe_ sticking up from beneath.

I wasn't quite sure how to react, if I'm honest. My first instinct was to scream my head off, get Ben to come do something awesome, incredible, something that would save Riley and me. But that plan flew out the window when Ian smirked, holding a pistol right up, aimed at my forehead. Riley took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly, but that didn't help, I already knew we were screwed.

So I stared at that blonde, British dirt bag, biting my tongue before all kinds of obscenities came out and he shot me cold dead right there. I mean sure, Independence Hall would be a relatively cool place to slip off the plate, but at twenty- eight I wasn't exactly ready to meet the big guy.

"Ian, heyyy." Riley began, babbling like an idiot. I slapped my forehead in exasperation, noting Ian's eyes flickered to me almost instantly as I made the gesture. "Fancy seeing you here, small world, right?"  
"Shutup." Ian snapped, pulling himself up and straightening himself, smiling ruefully at us. "So, where's Gates?" He looked at me with his cold, blue eyes, and some of the fear left me. All he had over me was the power behind his gun, and what else? Nothing.

"Uhhh." I had to force myself not to look back, revealing Ben's whereabouts. I was hoping Ian was too stupid to look out over the roof. "I don't know."

"Don't play games with me, girl." Ian snarled, pressing the gun to my forehead and loading it. "It won't take me a second to put a bullet in your scull."

"And then what?" I gulped, closing my eyes. "Ben will only be harder to control if you kill one of his friends."

"Friends, ha." Ian smirked, closing his eyes as he shuddered with evil laughter. "I thought you were a clever girl, you should know Ben is only using you." Ha, yeah right. Even with a gun to my head I knew that was bull. I hadn't known Ben long, sure, but he most definitely did not strike me as the kind of person to use somebody. If you're thinking Kings of Leon lyrics now, shutup, Lorna's talking.

Anyway, I wasn't going to give him what he wanted, so I simply glared, deciding for the moment I'd keep my smart mouth shut.

"So c'mon, tell me, where is he?" Ian changed his tune quickly after he realised I wasn't going to rise to the bait.

"Look, Ian, I...I know we...Um," I couldn't fit the words together. Speaking was suddenly trying to do one of those baked bean jigsaw puzzles. It was impossible. I could either die, or rat Ben out, and I didn't fancy either.

I hadn't needed to do anything, Ben was already on his way back, apparently, because he was suddenly there, climbing over the balcony, stopping dead when he saw the sight.

"Oh, Ian." He said, trying to sound bright, not bothered by the situation, but only coming across angry and seething. Ben Gates couldn't bluff.

"Ben. We've been expecting you."

I snorted. I wish I hadn't, but that was one of the single _worst _villain lines I had ever heard. It was so bad it was funny, I couldn't even stifle it this time. Probably not the best moment to have done so however, because the gun was still to my head.

"Oh yeah?" Ben's eyes flickered to me briefly, interrupting before Ian could do anything to me out of anger. "What's up?"

"Don't play stupid with me, Ben." Ian smirked, suddenly taking my arm, jerking me into him. I stumbled, dazed for a moment and righted myself, tried to tug my arm out of his grasp. He held on tight. It wasn't pleasant, and if I hadn't already pushed my luck, I would've opened a bag of freak on his British butt. "I want the Declaration."

"Say please." I said softly, only to receive a sharp squeeze on my arm. Ouch.

"AND," Ian continued, holding me against him. "Whatever clue you just found. Give it me now, or she dies." He shook me for effect, I wobbled, holding my head.

"Stop that." I murmured irritably once I was righted. This was killer. I was a hostage. Sure, a lot of things had happened, I had no future now, of course, thanks to Abigail Chase, I'd been a car chase drunk and hysterical, and I helped run chemical tests on the Declaration of Independence, but being held hostage was new. It was my least favourite out of the things I'd done.

"Ian, we can talk about this." Ben warned, holding his hands out, eyes darting in my direction occasionally. "Lorna doesn't have to get involved."

"She's been involved for a while Ben, just like little Riley here." Ian sneered, nodding in Riley's direction.

"Hey, I'm not _that _little." Riley muttered, glaring at Ian, obviously too scared to say much else, at this point.

I wish I had that restraint.

"We can cut a deal." Ben said firmly.

"No deal." Ian wasn't being helpful. Then again I didn't expect much from the guy _freakin' _holding me _hostage._ "The Declaration and the clue, or she dies." He pushed the nose of the gun harder into my temple, it was causing a mild headache, which would be a lot worse if he managed to get a bullet in there.

Oh God, I was going to die. I was going to die as a failed treasure hunter and a waitress.

"Alright, alright, just don't do anything drastic." Ben looked over at Riley and I one last time, and I caught something in them, a spark or something similar, that suggested he had a plan. I glanced over at Riley and saw the recognition on his face. Ben definitely had a plan, all we had to do was hang tight.

Ben lifted the quiver holding the Declaration over his head slowly, clutching it in his hands once he had done so as he moved towards Ian.

"Just, just don't hurt her..." He said quietly, and while there was truth in his tone, I knew he was just leading Ian on until he could put his plan into action. Riley and I's eyes met for a second and there was a slight nod, before there was a sudden loud crack from beside us.

Head snapping to one side, I saw Ben standing by Ian, breathing out, quiver in one hand, slightly dented, as the British man wavered, and his grip on me loosened. Then he fell to the floor with a thump, out cold. Riley and I blinked and stared down at the unconscious form of our attacker blankly for a moment, before looking back at Ben, who shrugged.

"Shall we go?"

* * *

**Please tell me what you thought, this was part of one of the big changes in the story due to Lorna, and there will be more to come! It's amazing how different the film could become without Abigail's input. So yeah, I hope you like that, I tried hard to make this original. Please review and lemme know what you thought!**

* * *


	16. That was awesome, Ben

**I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever :) I lost my muse badly and didn't want to update until I got it back. That and I went away to London for a while. Anyway, I made sure this chapter was long, as kind of an apology. Enjoy :)**

**I do not own National Treasure, or the amazing plot. I only own Lorna.**

Wow. I mean seriously, wow. That was another Ben Gates moment that had my heart all a flutter. Every time he did something heroic like that I was jelly.

"Uh," I glanced down at Ian's unconscious form. "I guess..."

"That was awesome Ben." Riley said from behind me. Ben looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Just saying."

I had to agree with the guy. That was awesome.

I climbed down the ladder first, hopping off the last few rungs. I span around, ready to continue on, but I smacked straight into someone. Someone petite, but still firm.

I steadied myself, sudden panic rushing over me. It must be one of the members of staff. We'd been caught...How would we explain the unconscious guy in the tower? Oh God first Ian reappears now this...

"Lorna?" The woman sounded startled, and as I finally gathered the courage to look her in the eye, I too was startled.

Abigail Chase stood before me, staring at me in disbelief. I took a moment to understand that it was actually the woman who had cruelly ripped my career away from me, and once I was over that, I began to ask questions. Like what the heck was she doing here!?  
"Abigail." I breathed, pausing as Riley and Ben appeared at my side. "What're...What're you..."

"The mean Declaration lady!?" Riley was just alarmed as everyone else there. He glanced from me, to Abigail, to Ben, then took a step back. "Awkwaaard."

"Not helping." I murmured, keeping my eyes firmly on Abigail.

"Abigail." Ben said in awe, shuffling around so the quiver holding the Declaration was out of view. "You got home safe, then?"

"Yeah, after you abandoned me in the park that night." Abigail responded bitterly, resting all of her weight on one leg.

"Uh, I don't think you should be being cocky." I warned, feeling rage boiling up inside of me as I was reminded of how she had treated Ben, as well as me. "Not when you have explaining to do. What're you doing up here?"

The blonde woman froze, eyes flickering upwards for a moment. I considered that suspicious, it was like she knew Ian was up there, or something.

But that was silly. Abigail wasn't working with Ian.

Even if it did explain why she was here...

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could do so there was the sound of movement above us. Ian mustn't have been out cold at all, just dazed. Well crap...

It didn't take us long to react, the three of us bolted immediately, with me grabbing Abigail's arm and ushering us along with her. She gasped and yelped 'no' but I continued dragging her.

"I think it'd be in your best interest to come with us, Doctor Chase!" I said hurriedly, rounding a corner.

***

We ended up in the signing room, hoping Ian wouldn't be clever enough to look for us there. In theory, he should have assumed we'd fled the building. I glanced over at Abigail who was panting, cheeks red, flustered. I raised an eyebrow.

"Are you alright?" She glared at me, but I stood strong, no longer answering to her. "We're safe now. Calm down." I said bluntly, turning my back to her and facing the other two.

"It's very cool in here," I murmured, spinning around to face Ben. "-But-"

"Uh, guys." Riley was standing by the window, looking out at the crowds. "Ian brought backup."

Ben hurried over to the window and looked out, distressed. I caught Abigail's eye, she seemed eager, excited when she heard about Ian's backup. I narrowed my eyes, unsure what to think. Had she misheard us? I suddenly remembered I needed to ask what she had been doing in here alone. I was growing increasingly suspicious, I needed solid proof, a liable answer before I could accuse her of anything.

My God I wanted to. The woman was infuriating.

"Abigail," I began turning her around to face me. "You never told me why-"

"I had a feeling he'd do this." Ben cut in, marching forward.

Oh yeah. The backup. I forgot. "Roll out the Declaration, hurry."

"But, what if they-" Riley babbled.

"I'd rather we see the map for ourselves, in case anything happens." Ben stared at Riley fiercely, then at me for a moment. Our eyes met, the strong, knowing look we shared made me cave.

"Alright." I shook the tube holding the Declaration and the document slid out into Ben's waiting hands, glancing apprehensively at Abigail as I did so. She suddenly seemed fascinated by the document, even though her eyes flickered occasionally to the window.

"But isn't the map invisible?" Riley clarified, taking the edge of the Declaration, glancing at Ben and I. "It _is _invisible, right?"

"Last time I checked." I muttered in response, slightly distracted by Abigail. I knew Ben had a plan, whatever we were doing, he wouldn't make us roll out the declaration if whatever he had found in the brick wall wasn't important.

"I found some kind of ocular device." Ben explained, producing a pair of, to me, what looked like ancient 3D glasses. I blinked, suddenly feeling the usual excitement bubbling up inside of me.

"They're like, early American x-ray specs!" Riley sounded awed, his bright blue eyes focused on the glasses.

"What do they do?" I breathed.

"Benjamin Franklin invented something like these." Abigail said pointedly, catching Ben's attention. I tensed. Something I didn't know about history...I worried Ben's interest in me would falter because of this. Of course I was being silly, Ben's reaction said that much.

"Uh, I think he invented these." He said in a tone dripping with sarcasm, rolling his eyes and going back to the document. He still had no patience for Abigail Chase. None of us did, there was something about the woman that wasn't quite right.

Abigail bit her lip, as if forcing back an expletive, but managed to compose herself quickly when she saw my accusing stare.

Ben meanwhile was placing the glasses on his nose, and looking down at the paper. He paused briefly, sighing loudly. Riley and I looked up.

"What?"  
"It's just...The last time this was here...It was being signed." Ben said softly, amazed. I smiled, realising what he meant. I hadn't thought of that, the exhilaration really was quite amazing. Still, it was a pretty dorky thing to say.

"History dork." I smirked, watching him playfully. Ben grinned back.

"Always."

"Guys, there's another tour coming." Riley said, unimpressed, making everybody hop to it and get back to work.

"Turn it over."

"Careful!" Abigail snapped as we did so. Everybody looked up at her and she immediately went sheepish, pretending she had never said anything. Instead she glanced over her shoulder at the window again. I frowned deeply. Just what was this chick up to?

"Is it a treasure map?" Riley said eagerly, watching Ben's face with great interest.

"It says...'Heere at the wall' spelt with two E's." He took the glasses off and looked at us all fiercely.

"-And that means?" I questioned distractedly, following Abigail's gaze as she looked out of the window. The ugly looking baddies were closing in, looked to be making their way into the building.

My heart almost stopped when I saw a familiar blonde man meet up with them, hand to his head. I gasped, wondered briefly why Abigail hadn't raised the alarm, and then began frantically rolling the Declaration back up. Ben and Riley gave me 'wtf' looks, but I explained myself quickly.

"Ian's out there, we gotta go, _now."_

"Right." Ben helped me fit the Declaration into the grey tube lining of the quiver, and then shoved it into my hands while he held the empty case. When I looked at him questioningly, he began reeling off his own explanation. "We don't want them to have the Declaration, or the glasses, but we especially don't want them to have them both together."

"So.."

"So we separate the lock from the key. We're splitting up." I didn't especially like this idea.

"Wait, what?"

"Really?" Riley and I chimed together, while Abigail watched on silently, taking in everything we were saying.

"I take this and those" He shook the empty quiver for effect, and pocketed the glasses. "Give Riley and Abigail that-"

"Wait, what?" I repeated. I loved Ben and all, but there was no way I was leaving Abigail alone with Riley. If she truly was up to something, Riley would be the last to figure it out, I was sure of it.

"You, you're coming with me." He looked hurt for a moment, so I quickly made up an excuse.

"I'll stick with Riley and Abigail, Ian will want the Declaration the most, I'd rather it had full protection."

Ben studied my face. He clearly didn't believe a word I said, but like I was to him, he knew I had my reasons, so nodded.

"Alright. Meet me at the car and call me if you have any problems."

"Like if we get caught and killed?" Riley's voice was anxious, prying. He made a good point.

"Yeah. That would be a big problem." And swept out of the room. Riley looked at me oddly.

"What're you doing?"  
"I'm not sure." I murmured back, clutching the grey tube as I set off at a quick pace out of the room.

"Let's go left." Abigail suggested as we appeared in the sunlight outside the hall.

"Why's that?" I said suspiciously.

"More bozos that way." She said, pointing a thumb over her shoulder. "It's safer."

"Point taken, come _on."_ Riley grabbed my arm and ushered me to the left.

We walked briskly down the busy Philadelphia street safely for a few moments. Abigail was eerily silent, making the situation more awkward than it needed to be. I really didn't want her there, and she clearly felt the same about being with us. She'd been dragged into this, didn't want anything to do with it. I didn't blame her, honestly, at times like these.

I wished I had gone with Ben, I was already worried sick about him. I was only trying to help in the long run, by keeping an eye on Abigail, but if anything happened to Ben because of me...

"Time to run!" Riley was suddenly yelling, taking my arm and pulling me along. I glanced back, alarmed, only to see two of Ian's men chasing us through the crowds. We sprinted away gasping for air, me clutching the Declaration tightly to me. We had to get away...

Soon we were veering into an indoor market place. I dashed right instinctively, assuming Riley and Abigail were at my side, but when I looked around, they were gone.

I slowed, staring around in bewilderment.

"Crap."

My stomach twisted uncomfortably and I began to panic. What if something had happened to Riley? I ran back the other way, not wanting to risk him getting hurt, and all too quickly it became apparent what a terrible idea that was.

I ran past the entrance I had come through previously, just as two of Ian's goons were coming in. We all collided at once, each of us crashing to the floor. I blinked, sitting up, head spinning for a minute, before realising the danger and scrambling to my feet. I made to run but a hand gripped my ankle and I stumbled. Thankfully I didn't fall completely over and I managed to rip my foot from the iron grip and sprint away.

I had to find Riley quickly and we had to get out into the open before the douches back there pulled anything like that again.

In my panic, I wasn't looking where I was going, and was suddenly crashing into a blonde woman. Abigail. I stumbled, dazed, realising the meaning of the term 'blind panic'.

"Abigail!" I blurted out, shaking my hair out of my face and looking at her wildly.

"Lorna?" She sounded shocked.

"Thank God!" I screamed, grabbing onto her. Wow, I never thought I'd be saying that to Abigail Chase."Where's Riley?"

"I lost him. I thought he was with you!"

"No!" I almost screamed, staring around frantically. "We _have _to find him!" I loved that guy, even if he was a tad annoying.

"Wait!" She whipped her head to one side dramatically and pointed towards another doorway leading out of the market. "That was Riley! He went that way! Come on!" She seized my arm, rather forcefully if I might add, and began dragging me to the exit. I didn't mind especially, we just had to get to Riley, we had to stick together. Safety in numbers and all that.

We ran along, of the exit and down the street. A little way down was a black SUV with blacked out windows, which Abigail veered towards after suddenly taking my arm.

I dug my heels in, suddenly anxious.

"Abigail...What're you..."

"They're cops, don't worry." She said quickly, sounding flustered and frustrated. That excuse made no sense. I know the situation was heated, rushed, panicked, but there was no way I was falling for that.

"On second thoughts." I muttered, taking a step back and trying to pull away from the woman, playing dumb as best I could. "I think I'll-"

"Get in the car." Abigail said forcefully, pulling a gun on me and holding it near my abdomen, out of sight from onlookers. My eyes widened and I blinked at the weapon, freezing. She was everything I had feared. Oh no. Bad, bad bad bad.

"Abigail, c'mon...You don't need to-"

"I said-" Abigail snapped. "Get. In. The. Van." She armed the weapon, the click sending shivers rolling down my spine. I swallowed and walked towards the door. It opened as I approached, Ian's face the first thing I saw. I went to yelp involuntarily, somehow not expecting this revelation, but the British man dragged me into the vehicle before my shouts could be heard by anyone. Abigail jumped in after me, slamming the door shut. She pulled the Declaration out of my grasp and grinned over at Ian. He seemed somewhat startled to see me, but not to see Abigail, which wasn't a surprise, considering the fact that she was a dirty traitor.

"Ah, Abigail, I was wondering where you had got to." He said quietly, smugly, the engine starting up suddenly, sending the car moving out onto the road.

"Oh, you'll never guess." Abigail's voice was nasty, spiteful, completely different to what I was used to. "The fools brought me with them. I saw everything. Even the new clue."

"New clue?" Ian raised his eyebrows in interest, nodding his head. "Impressive, for something that wasn't planned." Abigail beamed and leaned in, pecking Ian on the lips, I made a face and tried to ignore it, so glared at the windscreen ahead, wanting to say so many things, but only thinking of one.

"Why would you do this, Abigail? I thought you were a fairly decent person." I paused. "Or rather, hoped, you were a decent person."

Cruel laughter rang out around me from every party in the moving car.

"It only took Ian to make me realise my potential." She smirked, reaching over and stroking his leg. I grimaced.

"So you're sleeping together then?"

Abigail's response was a sharp slap across my face. I winced, keeping my head down, hair in my face as she withdrew her hand.

"Oh she _has _got an attitude." Ian commented, watching me with interest. "Too bad this won't end well."

"End well?" I gulped, looking up at the blonde man.

"Well, it's simple isn't it?" He talked to me in a patronising tone, like I was stupid. I gritted my teeth, holding back the urge to say something snarky. I didn't want to get slapped again. "We can use you to our advantage. It was obvious from the start that Ben took a liking to you, from what Abigail has told me. So it shouldn't be hard to hold you hostage, and get Ben to inevitably come to your rescue, along with this so called 'new clue'." He grinned, showing a straight row of white teeth. His plan was good, but that didn't help me, especially because I was the pawn here. "This way," Ian continued. "I'll have you, Ben, Riley, _and _the treasure. And at the end of all this-" I looked at his nails. "I'll only have the treasure. After I'm rid of you three, of course."

"Oh I see." I murmured. "You aren't going to let me go. You're going to string Ben along, then spring the trap when he comes to get me."

"Spot on." Ian laughed. "You are a clever one. I can see why he likes you." Usually that would've made my stomach all a flutter, but that was hard to do when I had more...pressing things on my mind. "Everything has fallen so effortlessly into place." He sounded genuinely happy that this had all worked out so well for him.

I felt horrible. It was going to be my fault if Ben and Riley were killed. I couldn't help but think that none of this would have happened if I hadn't eavesdropped in the first place. As I stared glumly at the floor, all of my feistiness lost, the shrill chime of a cell phone snapped me out of my funk. I looked up in surprise to see Ian looking at the screen of his phone.

"It's Gates." He said smugly, glancing at everyone in the car. My heart leapt at the sound of his name, but I was soon knocked down again when Ian nodded at Abigail, who suddenly grabbed hold of me, a loud ripping sound following her movement. I didn't have time to fathom what was going on before she pulled a strip of duct tape over my mouth, pressing it flat with one hand. I let out a muffled complaint and instinctively went to remove it but she had a tight grip on my wrists, and was then securing them together with the tape also. I struggled, realising quickly that it was useless, and instead shot a furious look in the blonde woman's direction. Her smile grew when she saw my discomfort, and turned to look out of the window with a chuckle.

So today had slowly declined. Sure the adventure of a lifetime had to include the bad guys, but I never thought it would end with me in such trouble. I hoped Ben would be okay, and that he wouldn't get into any trouble himself while trying to rescue me. I wished I wasn't so lame, all I had wanted was to find Riley, to stop something like this from happening. And look what eventually happened...Ugh this was dyer. I wished I was secretly an awesome martial artist, who could open a bag of freak on these guys, and Abigail. They wouldn't know what hit them. But sadly I was Lorna Scarlett, waitress extraordinaire, and essentially I was just your average woman. So yeah, all I was good for was being caught, and all Abigail was good for was being a bitch. Worst of all was I had seen it coming from Abigail, and hadn't done enough to prevent it. I had aimed for Ben's safety, got it, but only up until he came to find me. Then everything would worsen. My life was not good at present.

During these brief thoughts, Ian answered the phone, greeting Ben almost nicely. It sickened me. I wondered what he had been doing and how Riley was. It had to be better than what I was up to.

**Haha I guess you all saw Abigail's 'coming out' betrayal coming. I don't know if that all happened too fast, but I guess it seems that way because originally yhis chapter would have been split. Anyway let me know what you thought, I'll update soon I promise! :)**


	17. Wow, you sure can throw a punch

**Hey faithful readers :) (Those of you who're left, anyway) I'm sorry again for the delay. I've been on holiday, so I had no internet. Here's the new chapter, if any of you are shipping Ben/Lorna, you'll like this chapter :) Please review!**

**I do not own National Treasure. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction about it.**

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Riley watched with growing worry as Lorna was led out of the market hall with Abigail. He didn't trust her after everything she had done and said in the time she had spent with him and Ben. So where was she leading Lorna? Especially without him? He knew it was all wrong, but couldn't leave his post from behind the hotdog stand or the two men would see him. When they finally moved out of sight he was out of there. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him down the busy streets, but couldn't see Lorna or Abigail anywhere. It was too suspicious, something wasn't right...

And then he had rounded the corner to see Lorna being dragged into a blacked out SUV by Ian. He would have run over there, but he couldn't do anything. He had no weapons, no backup, all he could do was watch it drive away, and then call Ben, fast.

He whipped out his cell phone, typing '2' on the keypad (Ben's speed dial) and putting it to his ear, walking over to a stoop and sitting down as he waited for his friend to answer.

"Yeah?" Came the familiar voice, sounding as though he had done a fair bit of running too.

"Ben, everything's gone wrong, you need to get to city hall, now."

"Riley, wait, slow down. What's happened? Are you alright? Is Lorna alright?" He was anxious, Riley had never heard him like this.

"No, Ben, everything is _not _alright! Ian's taken Lorna and the Declaration-"

"What?"

"You heard me! And Abigail's involved...She led Lorna away and, I couldn't stop it Ben, I would've been caught too!" Riley was frantic now, though this wasn't new for him.

"It's okay, Riley, you did the right thing. We just need to think of what to do." There was a pause. "Wait, did you say Abigail's involved?"

"Can we talk about this in person? I don't have enough battery left on my phone for this." Riley answered in exasperation, listening to the familiar beep of his phone as it warned him of its low battery life.

"Alright. City Hall. Ten minutes. I was going to head back to the car, but I'll be there." The line went dead.

***

Later, once Riley and Ben had rendezvoused, Riley had more or less re enacted the events preceding their meeting, while Ben watched on with a deep frown. This was not good. They had decided together that it was best to call Ian, find out what he wanted, and then figure out from there how they were going to save Lorna. Ben worried for her, she was everything she had ever wanted, and Ian had had to take her as well as the treasure. He wasn't going to let that happen, and pushed aside the growing worry for the girl and pulled out his cell phone, which was, thankfully, fully charged.

When Ian answered, the anger Ben felt was almost uncontrollable, but he managed to at least keep a cool head until he could deal with him later.

"Ian. What do you want?"

"You know what I want. I want my treasure." Ian answered, his voice slimy.

"You'll get nothing until I know Lorna's okay." Ben snarled in response, pacing back and forth as Riley looked on.

Ian chuckled on the other end of the phone, making Ben's blood boil.

"I assure you she's fine, and she'll continue to be, if you listen carefully." Ben stayed silent, not wanting to succumb to Ian's demands, but knowing his old friend would understand straight away. "I'll park up outside the Franklin Institute. You know where that is. Be there in an hour, we'll discuss the details there."

"And Lorna?"  
"She'll be there too." And then he hung up. Ben let the dial tone ring out as he turned everything over in his mind, and then he snapped the phone shut.

"So what happened?" Riley asked, sidling up to his friend. "Are we in over our heads here?"

"Looks like it." Ben responded, walking forward. "If I know Ian, he won't stick to his word. So it looks like we'll just have to ride this thing out."

"And then what?" Riley didn't like the sound of any of that. When Ben didn't answer Riley didn't press on, but knew the outcome was not going to be good.

***

So I was still sitting in the back of the damn SUV. I was still bound and gagged and I was still miserable. Abigail and Ian had gone to get coffee for everyone -but me- and had come back, but other than that I had been sat in the company of these horrible people for quite some time. I wondered when Ben would get there. I was almost relieved to hear he was on his way, but knew that when he got here he would just end up in Ian's clutches. Ben was clever, he knew that was going to happen, and no doubt he was already coming up with a plan to get us all out of this...

I almost jumped out of my seat when there was a loud rapping on the window. I looked over in alarm to see Ben standing in front of the window. My stomach did that flip again, the feeling I got every time Ben smiled at me, spoke to me or...well, came to my rescue.

Ian looked over at the window and almost laughed.

"Right on schedule." He opened his door. "Showtime." And he vanished. I watched him go, wondering what would happen next. Did Ben know I was in there? It wasn't like I could warn him or anything. It was unbelievable how much this sucked. I just wanted to be out there with Ben, safe, looking for treasure. Why did the bad guys have to ruin everything?

The door was wrenched open suddenly and Abigail stepped out, walking with a confident, smug air. Then Ben came into view, stooping down and leaning across the back seat, looking at me in alarm. I blinked at him, stomach flipping again as he showed me that deep, anxious frown he was so good at. It felt good to know he cared about me.

"Lorna, are you alright?" He asked softly, carefully peeling the tape away from my lips. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Uh, no. They-" Ben's hand was at the side of my face now, gently stroking the place Abigail had slapped me. It must have been bright red, which I obviously wouldn't have known, having lacked a mirror and all...

"Who hit you?" His voice was firm, demanding. It took no hesitation for me to tell him who was responsible.

"Abigail. I was smart mouthing, and-" I thought I saw a brief smile cross Ben's lips when I said this, an affectionate look, as though it were one of my traits he liked. I wanted to tell him I liked all of his traits, but then probably wasn't the best time.

"It's alright now, anyway." He said abruptly, altering the mood of our conversation. "I came to get you." He turned me round and began picking at the tape around my wrists in an attempt to undo it.

"-But we still aren't safe." I protested. "_You _aren't safe. I'm sorry about this, I didn't mean to-"

"It's not your fault. Abigail tricked you," he shrugged. "-And I admit it was clever of Ian to use her on his side, but that's all he's doing, _using _her. She doesn't realise it yet, but that's what's happening here." He finally tore the tape away from my arms, I moved them, pleased to be free, and massaged the sore spots around my wrists. I admit I felt smug inside that Abigail was being played. She deserved everything she got. But crap, we were still in this situation, even worse, Ben was still in this situation, and it was all my-

"I'm so sorry about this Lorna." Ben said softly, turning me to face him. My green eyes met his blue and he was staring fiercely at me, while I was unable to look away. That was another thing I loved about Ben Gates. Just one look and you believed every word, because he was a good, sincere, honourable man. "I'm sorry I lost you your job, I'm sorry I dragged you into this, and I'm sorry I got you kidnapped. I'll make all this right, I promise."

"No." I said firmly. "You shouldn't be sorry for anything. I _let_ you come in and turn my world upside down. I was the one who listened in on your conversation, twice, and walked up to you in the middle of the street slurring insults. I brought this on myself, and you know what?" I paused, a slight smile touching my lips. "I'm so glad I did."

Then, just as I finished, Ben leaned in, pressing his lips softly to mine. I paused for a moment, unsure of how to react, because I had been waiting for this since I had first met him, and now that it had happened, I was taken aback. But wow, he was kissing me, finally, and it felt good. I eventually managed to respond, and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He did the same, pressing his hands to the small of my back, bringing me toward him. Then the kiss became heavy with desperation, neither of us knowing how much time we had left together, because now Ian was calling the shots. It was both romantic and heart breaking. I didn't want to let him go.

Suddenly Ben was ripped away from me, and I almost fell forward because of the abruptness. Then Ian's cruel face was there.

"Enough, lovebirds. Get out here." And then he grabbed my arm roughly, dragging me sharply out of the car. I stumbled, knocking into Riley slightly who steadied me. Abigail was standing just near me, while one of Ian's goons had hold of Riley's arm. He still leant over to me, as much as he could, and murmured in my ear.

"Are you alright?" I brushed my bangs out of my face and cast a quick glance at Ben, who was watching me protectively.

"Yeah. Thanks for coming."

"No problameo."

"I told you she was fine." Ian announced, staring Ben down, casually gesturing to me. Ben looked away from me and glared at the villain.

"Being tied up in the back of an SUV isn't something I'd consider to be _fine._"

Ian and Abigail seemed to find this funny. I bet they wouldn't find it funny if I punched them both in the face. Not that I'd be stupid enough to try, but damn that was a nice thought.

"She wasn't hurt, just a slap, which I didn't necessarily condone."

"So Abigail's one of your lackeys now?" Ben almost sneered, deliberately not looking at the blonde woman. I didn't blame him, the sight of her face made me angry now.

"We've been partners since you left me out in the cold on the night of the Gala." Abigail snapped, clearly bitter, marching forward and squaring up to Ben. "Shoving me aside for _her." _She inclined her head slightly in my direction. I didn't mind anything she said, because she was clearly bitter. Bitter Ben had noticed me and not her. Had I been a really nasty person, I would've rubbed the fact he had just kissed me passionately in her face, but refrained from doing so. At least for now. "-And look where she got you?" Oh. That wasn't cool. That actually hurt.

"What do you want from me?" Ben demanded, keeping his eyes firmly on the woman.

"Can't we just work this out?" Riley chimed in, only to be jabbed sharply in the ribs by the man standing beside him.

"Revenge may be the wrong word." Abigail said softly, pacing back and forth, her black heels clacking against the tarmac of the sidewalk. "-But I think payback fits nicely. Ian pointed out that instead of the FBI, we could finish you ourselves. After all, where would the fun be in letting the government allow you to rot in jail?"

I couldn't just stand there and let her talk to Ben like that. She had no right, she didn't know him, she only wished she could. Knowing she had been my guard previously, I marched forward boldly, grabbing her by the shoulder and punching her hard across the face. She reeled back, collapsing into Ian, hand to her nose. It was only a couple seconds before my arms were grabbed and pulled back by who must've been Shaw, as the anarchy subsided. Ben was looking at me with a mix of amazement, shock and amusement, as was Riley. Even I couldn't believe I had done that, and whatever the consequence would be, it was so worth it.

"Wow. You sure can throw a punch." Riley commented from behind me, sounding just as stunned as Ben probably was.

"I can't believe-" Abigail snarled, straightening up. Ian placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Easy, Abigail. Not now. You'll get the opportunity later." The woman didn't seem to calm, but found Ian's compromise the best option, and straightened her skirt, marching over to Ben and standing by his side. I wondered what would happen to me now, because as of yet, my actions had been ignored by Ian, who was in fact, the boss at the current time. I found myself wishing I had never done that. Even though it had been very satisfying.

"Now." Ian rubbed his hands together, facing Ben. "I know you have more clues for me. After all, that's why we're here. So come on, where's my next clue?"

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**Review please?**


	18. Chained to a desk

**This chapter is kind of boring ish, but I couldn't help that! It'll pick up, I assure you. Also, if you're a Riley fan, there'll be more of him in the future. So enjoy!**

**I do not own National Treasure.**

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Ben looked from me to Riley dejectedly, before producing the spectacles he had found at Liberty Hall. My heart sank. Ian really had won this thing. Could I have failed any worse? Why had I believe Abigail in the first place!?

"I found these at Independence Hall. The vision to see the treasured past."

Ian took the glasses from Ben's hands. "-And these will show us the treasure map, yes?" He began fiddling with the strips of metal connected to the other lenses, flipping them up and down. Ben, Riley and I looked on in amazement. So there was more to it. I couldn't believe we hadn't noticed that. Experienced clue solvers like us? Pathetic, really.

"I assume so." Ben sighed, giving me a sideways glance. I smiled weakly, to let him know I was there.

Ian held a hand out expectantly for the Declaration and Ben handed it to him grudgingly.

"Anything else?" Ian's blue eyes darted from Ben, to me, to Riley as he clutched the quiver holding the Declaration to him. None of us were sure whether to mention the next clue, 'Heere at the wall' but it was incredibly likely Abigail was going to. After all, she had seen everything back in Independence Hall.

Ben opened his mouth, ready to reveal the next clue properly, and no doubt what it meant, when a group of four uniformed men rounded the corner, FBI id badges flashing in their hands. I froze, wondering with horror how they had found us, but at the same time so thankful for their excellent timing. Ben gaped, while Abigail and Ian pretty much freaked out. Riley seemed relieved as well, I didn't blame him.

"We can't lose Gates." Ian was murmuring to Abigail. I gulped, I could see where this was going. "Well if Lorna thinks it appropriate to hit people when she wants, I'd consider it appropriate to sell her out to the feds. We don't need her anyway." Abigail answered with a bitchy smirk in my direction.

"No!" I snapped, wrenching myself out of the henchman's grasp and onto Ben. "Ben stays with us!"

"Then good luck to you both." Ian grinned, seizing Riley roughly.

"Hey!" The small techie yelped, struggling against the villain's grip.

"We'll get you out of this, but if you don't comply with our plan, Riley dies."

Before Ben or myself could argue, they had bundled little Riley into the back of the car, slammed the doors and skidded away at lightning speed.

"RILEY!" Ben called, clenching his fists so the knuckles were white, watching the car retreat.

"We'll get him back." I whispered, taking Ben's hand. "But first, we have to-"

"Benjamin Gates and Lorna Scarlett?" The FBI knew my name. That was weird. I wondered fleetingly how they'd found us, but realised our car was parked just nearby, and they had probably been tracking it.

"Yeah." Ben responded dejectedly.

"You're under arrest."

***

I was chained to a desk.

You'd think, that after the whole Abigail-SUV fiasco I'd have learned, but apparently not. This just wasn't my day.

Thankfully I wasn't alone in this one, Ben was also chained to a desk. The very same desk, and he had done an excellent job of explaining our story.

Agent Peter Sadusky leant back in his chair, pressing all the tips of his fingers together and looking down his nose at us both.

"That's some story." He sounded sceptical. I'd been sceptical at first too, but you'd think Sadusky would be used to nutcase stories like ours.

"Well it's the same story I tried to tell you guys before the Declaration was stolen." Ben's tone was bitter. I wanted to tell him to tone it down, but I refrained. Feeling scared myself, even more scared than I had been in Ian's SUV. That was weird.

"By you." My head snapped up. Offended by Ian's tone, everything I had just decided went out of the window. I was so on Ben's side, anyone who said otherwise infuriated me. I wondered if it was because I was still trying to convince myself that he was a good person.

"Uh, _no. _Actually. I was at the Gala, and...I witnessed everything..."

"Is that right, Miss Scarlett?" Sadusky leant forward, eyes locked on mine. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. "And what were you doing there exactly? You haven't said much."

"I...Uh..." My voice shook and I looked over at Ben, who was staring forward at Sadusky.

"Lorna wasn't involved in that. I stole the Declaration alone, to stop Ian." He sighed and looked dejected. "He still got it..."

"Because of you." I bit my lip hard when Sadusky said it again. It _wasn't _Ben's fault...

Sadusky promptly began reeling off things we could do to help...But all of the plans led to prison. I felt sick to my stomach. This was what I hadn't wanted to happen in the beginning, what I had wanted to avoid, but couldn't, because I'd fallen hard and fast for Ben...

"Is there a door that doesn't lead to prison?"

"Someone's got to go to prison, Ben." Sadusky chuckled.

"What if we could prove it to you?" I asked, leaning forward. Sadusky glanced at me with mild amusement.

"How could you prove it? You have nothing."

"We had...We had glasses and..." I gulped, sliding down in my seat as best I could considering I was chained to the desk. "Please, Sadusky. Ian has our friend. He has Riley. Is there nothing you can do?"

"You have no _proof _Miss Scarlett. How do we know this Riley Poole character was even with you in the first place?"

"You...You don't." I said softly. "Can we not do something? Anything-"

I broke off when a shrill ring tone sounded. Ben's cell phone. Everybody seemed to tense, and then Sadusky and his agents were fussing over a weird looking machine. Probably so they could listen in on the call. Ben put the phone to his ear, holding it with both hands because of the cuffs, and answered it almost monotonously.

"Yes?" I leant in, knowing who it would be. Ian had said he would get us out of this...No doubt illegally, but it would be worth it to ensure Riley's safety and eventually prove Ben's innocence to the FBI. Thinking all of that at once made my head hurt. My life had taken a dramatic turn over the past few days. It was boggling.

_Hello Ben. How're you?_

"I'm chained to a desk. Thanks to you."

_I'm sorry to hear that. I want you to meet me on the flight deck of the U.S.S Intrepid. Do you know where that is?_

"New York." Ben and I said together, only I whispered it.

_Meet e there at ten o clock tomorrow morning. We can take a look at the Declaration and you can figure out the next clue for me. Riley will be released promptly once we've found you've sent me in the right direction._

I glanced up at Sadusky who was listening intently. Ian's plan was good. He'd changed it slightly for the benefit of the FBI agents, but that sounded about right. For the FBI, Ben and I staying together was a must, they had no choice in the matter. At least Ian had fixed it so we didn't leave each other's sides.

"I'm supposed to believe that?" Ben said sharply.

_I told you in the beginning I only wanted to borrow it. You can have it, and the glasses. I'll even throw in the pipe from the Charlotte._

I couldn't help but think 'yeah right' but I went along with it because that's all I could do...for now. At least I had got that punch in.

"I'll be there." Ben clarified after checking silently with Sadusky to make sure it was okay. Thankfully it was. I felt somewhat better, considering.

_And tell the FBI agents listening in on this call. If they want the Declaration back, and not just a box of confetti, you and Lorna come alone. I'll be aware of any misdeeds if she isn't present. Until tomorrow._

The line went dead.

I looked up at Ben, giving him a knowing look which he returned. We would stick together at least, but whatever Ian had in store concerning our escape from the FBI was beyond me. I just hoped his plan was good.

* * *

**Riley's been taken hostage and Ben and Lorna are in jail. Uncool. If you review it'll cheer them all up! :D**


	19. Easy little missy

**Hurray new chapter! Hurray new material! We're getting closer to the treasure room! I'm trying to update at least once a week. Hope that's okay for you guys :)**

**Once again, I do not own National Treasure**

I woke up on the cold hard bed of a prison cell. It took me a few moments to remember where I actually was. I had a brief moment of panic, before I finally realised that I _had _been arrested, and yes, I was indeed going to break the law by escaping.

I sat bolt upright, glancing around the small chamber. Ben was next door, and I missed him sorely. I wished I had been able to stay with him for the night, but the FBI were really harsh about cell sharing.

I brushed my bangs out of my eyes and sighed. It was amazing how suddenly your life could change. I'd started the week in the hopes of receiving a job, a strong hope of having a decent future. Now I was in a prison cell, having been arrested for all sorts of stuff I didn't necessarily take part in.

I looked up suddenly when I heard the cell door open, and saw Sadusky standing in the frame, hands buried in pockets.

"Miss Scarlett? Time to go."

***

As I was led out of the cell, an agent holding my arm, I caught sight of Ben being led towards me, no doubt from his cell. My face lit up and I gasped, wrenching myself from the agents grasp and running towards him, throwing my arms around his neck. It was unorthodox, sure, but I was so damn happy to see him. I guess that's what happens when you realise you're in love.

"Sleep well?" He murmured into my ear, laughing at my enthusiasm.

"Yeah, somehow." I laughed back, before being dragged off him and handcuffed. I glared over my shoulder at the agent detaining me, then at Sadusky who shrugged.

"Procedure." And then Ben was cuffed too.

We were led out into a van, where we were going to be while we drove to the Intrepid. I looked across at Ben from my place on the bench and smiled nervously. He winked back, smiling warmly. I felt better.

***

The flight deck of the _Intrepid _turned out to be pretty busy. I wandered idly by Ben's side, staring around in amazement. It was nice to be out of the cell, but it wasn't nice having Sadusky's voice in my ear near constantly.

Ben made amusing jokes about the scouts walking by, and he made a good point, but I was so on edge I couldn't even begin to find it funny.

"Put a sock in it Ben." I murmured, looking at him sideways. "I can't appreciate your witty quips at a time like this."

Ben looked at me oddly.

"Then can't you appreciate this?" He placed a hand on my waist and moved in, putting his lips to mine. I was slightly surprised at first, but then I fell into it, like I had the first time we had kissed. I wrapped my arms around his neck and opened my mouth, kissing him back with furious passion. Yes. I definitely appreciated this.

"Gates. Enough romance. Stay with the programme." Ugh. Sadusky again. Ruining the fun. Ben pulled away from me, breathless, and we regarded each other for a moment, before he fully moved away so he was beside me.

"As soon as he shows you the Declaration, we'll move in. Don't try anything."

I gulped, worried by Sadusky's tone. We w_ere _going to try something. That was the problem. I couldn't see Ian or his goons anywhere, and I was beginning to wonder if this was going to happen at all. I hoped everything worked out alright. I certainly didn't want to get arrested. I certainly didn't want _Ben _to get arrested.

"Y'know Agent Sadusky. There's something I've learned about fishing." I glanced at Ben. Where was he going with this? "It never works out so well for the bait."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Ben wasn't being helpful for once, and more importantly, where the heck was Ian?

My question was pretty much answered when a helicopter began descending, flying far too low. I looked up –with difficulty- as my hair blew wildly around my face. Were we going to jump on that? Rope ladder? What? What was this?

Suddenly there was a man between Ben and I. He was dressed as a tourist, but I could plainly see it was one of Ian's goons. The nasty face and menacing shades gave him away.

He was shouting something over the noise of the helicopter choppers. All I heard was 'Edison' and 'light bulbs' and all too quickly Sadusky's voice had vanished from my ear. This was all Ian's doing. What a clever, clever man. Who also happened to be an evil, evil man. He still had Riley. I hoped he was alright...

Suddenly Ben was dragging me somewhere. I gasped, struggling against him.

"Ben! What-"

"Just follow me." He released me and walked over to the observation deck, looking out at the water. Ian's minion had vanished somewhere else in the panic.

"Sadusky. I'm still not against you." Ben began. I stayed silent, knowing anything I said would just make the situation worse. "But I found door number three. And I'm taking it."

"Ben..." I murmured, piecing together what we were going to do in my head. "Ben I.,, I'd rather be arrested. Seriously." I stood firm, looking at him nervously. He stared at me fiercely.

"Work with me here Lorna. We have to jump." He looked over his shoulder, two men were racing towards us. Agents. "We don't have much time." And then he grabbed me, lifting me up in both arms, even though I struggled and screamed, and threw me over the fence.

I yelled, I screamed, I shouted, but nothing was going to stop me falling. I couldn't believe he had thrown me! Sure, I could've been more helpful in that instance, but it was the Hudson, and I was a fully clothed woman. Not a good mix.

I met the water with an almighty splash and plunged underneath, the cold stabbing at me with thousands of tiny icy daggers. I screwed my eyes shut, wondering where Ben was, what I was going to do, whether I was going to survive this. What the hell was next? We couldn't swim under water without AIR.

I was suddenly grabbed from behind by the waist, and when I turned I saw with relief that it was Ben. I clung to him, allowing him to pull me away, over to a scuba diver, who had apparently appeared out of nowhere. I eyed him suspiciously as we were handed masks providing air and we were shot off through the water on the back of a small jet propelled float. I glared at Ben as we went, swearing and cursing at him for forcing me over, only to be greeted by a triumphant grin from Ben when I realised her couldn't hear my voice, only murmurs. I wanted to kill him, but I knew what he had done was for the best, so I sighed and went with it, wondering what was going to happen next.

***

Ben was quite the gentleman, allowing me to climb the ladder out of the water first. The first thing I saw were two boots, and then as my vision moved upwards the view steadily got uglier until I saw it was one of Ian's men. Lovely. Shaw, I think his name was.

He grinned down at me, almost lustfully.

"Hello Lorna. Welcome to New Jersey."

He then proceeded to drag me up so I was beside him. I splattered him with water, and was pleased about doing so. I was being dragged around too much lately.

"Easy." I snapped, jerking my arm from his grasp. He responded by throwing a towel at me with such force it smacked me full in the face. I caught it as it fell, seething, but Ben appeared behind me, calming me instantly.

"Is there a problem here?" He asked, looking from me to Shaw, his glare hovering on the man.

"I don't know." Shaw grinned. "Is there?" He looked at me, eyeballing my figure. I pretty much threw up in my mouth. I suddenly felt very self conscious of the wet fabric clinging to me. I looked over at Ben distractedly, only to see he was very wet too. Of course. I blinked at him and looked away, reddening.

We followed Shaw over to a black car, I towelling my hair furiously, knowing it was going to look horrendous anyway but still futilely fighting against it. Another man by the car, one whose name I didn't know, threw a bundle of clothes at me, which I caught instantly, having been used to things being thrown at me since the towel incident. It was a pair of jeans and a grey turtle neck jumper. Gross, but they'd do. At least they were dry, and...I wrinkled my nose. Probably Abigails.

"Where's Riley?" Ben demanded, holding the clothes Shaw had thrown at him carelessly. I was reminded of the situation, having had my mind blank after my plunge into the Hudson, and suddenly I was furious.

"You guys gave your word!" I snapped, moving back, standing by Ben. Knowing he would keep me safe.

"Easy little missy." Shaw said in that slimy tone he seemed proud of. "You won't be seeing little Riley until Ian's sure you've sent us the right way." He looked at Ben and smiled. "Got it?"

We both nodded monotonously, unsure of how to continue. We really were trapped.

**Review! Please! **


	20. Cold and worried

**I'm sorry I've taken forever to update and I'm sorry that this chapter isn't very long, but it's something, right? Right.**

**I do not own National Treasure!! Just Lorna 3**

In the car I leant onto Ben's shoulder, one arm threaded through his.

"You got a plan?" I whispered, hoping Shaw didn't hear me.

"Working on it." Ben murmured back. I sighed. He so didn't have a plan. I didn't say anything else. I'd caused enough trouble in the past few days, and not only that, but I was too worried about Riley to talk. We hadn't spoken much, me and him, but I got the idea he was quite a little genius. It would break my heart if anything had happened to him, especially considering all that Ben, myself and him had been through. I had to figure a way out of this. I had to repay Ben and Riley for changing my life, for helping me when things looked dim.

"Let us speak to him." I said suddenly, surprising the other passengers in the car. Shaw snorted.

"No chance."

"We have to know he's okay, or this won't work out." I argued.

"You'll see him when we get to New York. Shouldn't be long now." He grinned and I scoffed, looking away. It was even more infuriating that he seemed to be enjoying every minute of my suffering. I suppose that's why he chose to be the bad guy.

We pulled up outside Trinity Church, which loomed over us as if ready to consume us. I gulped, knowing things weren't going to get much better from here. I looked over at Ben.

"Wall Street?" He nodded.  
"I'll explain later."

We climbed out of the car and I looked around, breathing the New York air as my hair whipped around my face. Where was Riley? He should've been around somewhere. I hoped they hadn't killed him already. That would be horrible...

"Ben, Lorna." I froze, spinning around to see Ian approaching, so casually it made me rage. Abigail was nowhere in sight, but I imagined she was watching Riley, wherever he was.

I scanned the street, looking for any place he could be, but he must have been in a car, I couldn't see his cute face anywhere. I felt continuously sick, gulping down my worry as I took Ben's hand. "You both alright? No broken bones?"

"Cold and worried." I said monotonously, avoiding his eyes. "I'm sure Ben's the same. We'll feel better once we see Riley."

"All in good time." Ian smirked, holding Ben's gaze. He produced two items and placed them on the car top. I noticed Ben's eyes flickering from those to the passing cars, torn between his gut instinct, and what Ian was telling him. "The Declaration of Independence and the Miashawn pipe, all yours."

Ben and I stared at the items blankly, and then swapped looks. I wasn't quite sure what to say, it was all going well so far, but then again, could we trust Ian?

"That's it?" Ben said warily, glaring at Ian distrustfully.

"That's it. I knew you'd keep your promise. Now where is it? Where's my treasure?" Something inside me twinged at the use of the word 'my' but I kept my mouth firmly shut, reminding myself that if he was saying 'my' he was only going to screw Abigail over. The thought almost made me smile. Almost.

"It's right here. The map said Heere at the Wall spelled with two E's. Wall street follows the path of an actual wall that the Dutch settlers built to keep the British out. The main gate was also located at a street called Deheere. Also two E's." My heart swelled as he used all of historical knowledge on Ian. Ben was better than him in so many ways, it almost made up for everything. "Later Deheere was named Broadway after the British got in. So here at the wall, Broadway, Wall street." He seemed to rush, shoving the items towards Ian, discarding years of searching, all for Riley. "Now _where's _Riley?"

Ian laughed cruelly.

"You actually care for that little runt?" Mine and Ben's blood seemed to boil at once.

"He is _not _a runt!" We both screamed in unison, furious, ready to pummel him. Ian found this all the more amusing.

"It seems I chose the right person to take hostage. Sometimes it's useful to make things more complicated, before they can become simple again." He gestured lightly to his right and we followed his aim, noticing an SUV car door open on cue just across the street. A car that hadn't been there just before.

Abigail stepped out, smug as ever, wearing a slutty red dress. I wanted to punch her again, but she was sadly too far away. However as the sight inside the car came into view, I froze, and I felt Ben tense as I clutched his hand. Riley was sitting in the front seat, hunched over, arms pulled back behind him, blood visibly dripping from his mouth. His eye was black, hair more ruffled that usual. He had been roughed up.

"Oh my God..." I whispered, looking through my bangs at Riley, who was nothing but broken. "Oh my God...Ian you..." I whirled on the man, fists clenched. "How _could _you!? He never did anything _wrong!" _I was suddenly hurling myself at the man, smacked my fists against his chest in pure rage. All I could see was red, not Ian, just a punching bag. He grabbed my wrists easily and threw me roughly off him and into Ben, who caught me in both arms.

"You've taken this _too far _Ian!" Ben snarled, holding my tight. "He's just a _kid! _I'm not agreeing to this, I'm not letting you hurt Riley any more..."

"If you won't co operate." Ian said mildly, checking his finger nails. "Then Riley dies." He waved his hand casually and Abigail nodded, smiling a devilish grin and slamming the car door closed. I peered over Ben's arms at the car, unsure of what was happening.

Then there was a gun shot inside of the car, low, muffled, but definitely there. People on the street jerked and looked around, unsure what it was, but Ben and I knew. We stared at the car in horror, unmoving.

They had shot Riley.

**Like? Hate? Let me know! That button, just there, if you click it, you can TALK TO ME. AMAZING RIGHT? So yeah, click and review. Pleeease?**


	21. This Parkington Lane thing

**I know this isn't exactly going to sell this chapter but I'm just going to be honest and say it's a bit lame and not very good. Between university deadlines, national novel writing month and writers block, I've been severely struggling with this story, and wrote this chapter in a desperate attempt to get an update up for you fine readers. I assure you the story will be finished, and will get better, the updates will just be as infrequent as usual. I'll try and put a new chapter up next week :)**

**I do not own National Treasure**

"No!" Ben screamed, so loudly it echoed all around us. I didn't say anything, I only stared blankly at the blacked out SUV window, trying my hardest to figure out if they had killed him or not...

The thought made me so sick I span around and wretched, clutching my stomach and gasping. Ben didn't help me, he was too busy storming towards Ian, fists clenched.

"Damnit Ian! You said he'd go free when this was over!" He reeled back, ready to punch Ian hard across the face, when the man simply raised his hands.

"Now now Ben, you know I'm true to my word." He looked over to the car and Ben followed his gaze, as did I, still hunched over.

The car door was opening on the other side and Riley was being dragged out, staggering into the two men holding him. I couldn't quite see what was wrong, but he wasn't dead, and that was the main thing. Though as they finally brought him into full few around the side of the car, I noticed he wasn't standing on his right leg, he had it lifted into the air and was limping badly with the help of the men.

Yeah, they had shot Riley, in the leg. As angry as that made me feel, I felt so relieved that he was alive that I did nothing, only stood there whispering..

"Thank God..."

"Perhaps now, you'll be willing to co operate properly?"

Ben and I just glared, unwilling to admit that he truly did have the upper hand.

"Yeah. Yeah, fine." I answered for him, keeping my gaze firmly locked on the limping Riley.

"Then shall we crack on?"

***

I held Riley tight against me, stroking his hair. His breathing was raspy, pained, and I wasn't entirely sure how to handle it. I wasn't trained in first aid, I didn't know what I could do. All I knew was that Riley needed pressure on his gunshot wound. He had a strip of cloth, ripped from some of the spare clothes Ian and his goons randomly carried around tied around his leg tightly, which would do for now. Ben was sitting at the front of the room in the pews with Ian, talking loudly with him about the map, and something called 'Parkington Lane'. All I wanted right now was to keep Riley alive.

"You shouldn't have messed with me." Abigail hissed from her place beside me. I narrowed my eyes and ignored her, calling her every swear word under the sun in my head. This wasn't over. Nothing else could happen, nobody else could get hurt. I needed a plan.

Ian was suddenly standing at the end of the pews, looking pleased with himself. Ben stood behind him, the Declaration strapped to his back, no longer enjoying the treasure hunt, concern spread across his face as he looked from Riley to me.

"We're going on a little trip down under." Ian announced, rubbing his hands together.

"Australia?" Riley murmured into my shoulder.

"No, beneath the church." Ben answered with a glare in Ian's direction.

We all stood, filing out of the pews. I supported Riley until we got to the end, where Ben put his other arm around the injured man. We all hobbled out of the hall, Ian's men following us closely, Ian and Abigail close together, occasionally glancing at each other lustfully. It made me sick.

"I'm sorry." I muttered as Ben and I helped Riley down the stairs, to wherever we were supposed to be going.

"None of this is your fault." He whispered back, firm. It made me feel somewhat better, but I wasn't sure how much.

We came out into a large, ominous room. It smelt of dust and dirt, the walls aging and crumbling. Graves stones surrounded us, making me wonder if this 'Parkington Lane' thing was actually a person.

"Start looking." Ian ordered, glaring at Ben threateningly. He gave me a broken look and set about the room. I stayed behind with Riley, who was wet from sweating.

"Stay with me Riley…" I said softly, into his ear. "You have to see the treasure."

"I…I won't let Ian win." He said back, voice barely a whisper. "But if…if anything happens. I've had the time of my life, Lorna." My eyes filled up, and before I could burst into tears and cry onto Riley's shoulder, I was interrupted.

"It's here." Ben announced, from what sounded like a long way away. "Parkington Lane."

Old excitement brewing up inside of me again, I pulled Riley towards the others, who were crowding around one of the gravestones, embedded in the wall. "He was a third degree master Mason of the blue light, hey!" We all jumped back, even Riley flinched, as Shaw took a sledgehammer to the stone. History in pieces.

"Why do you always have to _break _stuff?" Riley complained, snapping out of his sleep like state after the bang.

"I'd shut my mouth if I were you, unless you want to be shot again." Abigail was threatening again, and it was _really _ticking me off. I almost told her I'd hit her again if she carried on, but knew I wasn't in the position to be giving it out.

The casket was pulled out slowly and I watched with mild disgust, wondering what the heck we were going to find. My question was answered when the bottom fell through, and Parkington Lane himself was lying beneath us. I hadn't quite got over the sledgehammer incident, so had a mild heart attack when this happened, staggering back and almost letting Riley go in the process. The poor guy _really _needed a crutch, or something.

"Careful no one steps in him." One of Ian's stupider henchman said. I found it would help if I knew his name, but realized instantly I didn't _want _to know.

The casket was placed down, over the skeleton, and Ben and Ian shone their torches in the hole. It went on further than first glance. A tunnel.

"Okay…" Riley was staring curiously down the hole. "Who wants to go down the creepy tunnel inside the tomb first?" I almost died from laughter. Even after being shot, Riley was being awesome.

I followed Ben into the tunnel because Ian and Abigail were clearly wimps, while McGregor and Viktor were told to stay outside. Ha. Riley crawled behind me, sighing in pain as he dragged his injured leg along the floor. I continuously asked him if he was alright, to which he replied 'I'll live'. I couldn't be sure, not with Ian and Abigail around.

**Please review? **


	22. This just gets better and better

**Woahhhh I am SO sorry I abandoned this story. Things got hectic and I lost my NT muse, but it has returned, and I'm DETERMINED to finish this story. I love it, and I came so close, I'm not sure why I stopped! So here you go! I really hope you enjoy.**

We climbed out of the tunnel and stepped out into a low ceilinged tunnel. It smelt dusty, old, and that was no surprise, considering how long it had been left unfound.

"This is amazing…" I murmured, stunned by my surroundings. I could never have dreamt I would end up in a place like that. Of course, I couldn't have imagined being somewhere like that with someone like Ian, but I was happy nonetheless.

Riley went past me, as did Ian and Abigail, Ben glaring or greeting them as they moved. I stopped gazing around and turned on my heel, heading towards Ben.

"Are you alright?" I asked, placing my hand on his cheek. He looked at me meaningfully.

"What do you think?"

I put my head down, hand moving down to his chest.

"Sorry."

"No it's alright." He paused, smiling slightly. "Come here." And he leant down and kissed me full on the lips. I gasped slightly, surprised by his forwardness but got wrapped up in the kiss anyway, as I often found myself doing with Ben. He was such a damn good kisser, he made me feel amazing. We fell into it, the desperation of the moment, the romance…

"Get a room." Riley interrupted dryly from behind us, causing us to stop in our actions. I pulled away, embarrassed, and turned to see one of Ian's nameless cronies staring at me. I straightened my jacket out and Ben and I went back down the corridor. I could have sworn I heard him murmur something as I left.

"Why does that never happen to me?"

We reached the end of the tunnel pretty quickly, coming out into the most amazing scene. Winding wooden staircases lined the walls and a giant, grand chandelier hung in the centre, which Ben quickly lit with his torch. I gasped as it burst into flame, illuminating the entire arena.

"Look at the elevator system." Ben observed, looking up around at the amazing craftsmanship with that attractive frown of his.

"How has this been here so long, with nobody noticing?" Abigail murmured, looking up with bright blue eyes. She clearly couldn't deny the awesomeness of our surroundings.

"Some people aren't so willing to destroy ancient graves." Ben said curtly, keeping his eye on the flaming chandelier. Abigail grunted in annoyance but Ian put a hand on her arm to calm her. I smirked, staring around me, still too amazed to say anything. It was just so damn huge in there!

"Alright, let's go, what're you waiting for?" Ian snapped, shoving me in the back. I glared at him and took a wary step forward.

"This doesn't look safe…" I murmured, and I knew that sentence was a stupid one. Of course it wasn't safe. God only knew how rotted these wooden walkways were. Riley appeared beside me, staggering slightly, and I put my arm around him to keep him stood.

"Thanks…" He said, and his voice shook slightly. He was getting worse. I patted his back.

"We'll be okay, Riley. I'm sure of it."

We descended the stair case, Riley and I doing so rather precariously as we leaned on each other. I glanced behind me to see Shaw and Ben, and directly behind them, Ian and Abigail. I did wonder how she was managing in that tight red dress. I anticipated the moment she fell on her ass because of it.

Suddenly there was a violent rumbling, creating a loud creaking and cracking. I encircled Riley in my arms as I grabbed the banister for support, not that it would help if the entire staircase decided to break away.

"What's that…" Riley murmured into me.

"Subway." Ian announced, and then the vibrating stopped. I straightened up, looking up around with a sigh.

"This just gets better and better."

We set forth again, slowly but surely, but a violent snap caught my attention. Both Riley and I span around fast enough to see Shaw disappearing through a new hole in the walkway, falling and screaming to his death. Ian and Abigail let out roars of horror, Ben watched on in disbelief, and all I could do was clap a hand to my mouth. I didn't like Shaw, at all, but I'd never wish death upon him. None of us were safe. I suddenly felt very sick.

Nobody had time to fully react as the staircase suddenly tore away from the wall, collapsing downwards, flipping my stomach. Riley couldn't jump, I knew I had to protect him, so, catching sight of a more sturdy staircase below, I shoved him hard without warning so he fell towards it, landing with a hard thump and a yell. I looked over, terrified he hadn't made it, but was relieved to see him sitting upwards, hand pressed to his back, croaking out a sarcastic 'thanks Lorna…'

I turned to find Ben, catching sight of him clinging onto the edge of the stairway which had completely broken off beneath him, with nobody making an effort to help him up, what a surprise. We were separated, I couldn't help him, and my stairway was breaking more and more under my weight. I heard Ian shout to Abigail to jump onto the elevator, which she did, quite awkwardly in the dress, landing humorously on the planks with a shriek. Ian made to jump, but I screamed after him, my voice coming out angrier than anticipated.

"IAN!" He turned to look at me, alarmed, and I pointed furiously at Ben while I balanced precariously. "HELP HIM!"

Ian seemed to puzzle this, and I was so terrified he would just leave him I continued yelling.

"HE'LL BE NO USE TO YOU DEAD, IAN!"

This pushed him and he span around, holding a hand out. Ben took it and allowed Ian to help him up. Once standing, Ian leapt quickly off the edge, and Ben span around to face me from across the gap. He stared at me helplessly, and I waved my hand at him, trying to act calm, when really that simple look he had given me had struck fear into my core.

"I'm okay! I'll be okay!" And with that, I span around and leapt off the edge.

**Kind of a cliffhanger? Sorry. I will definately update soon. DEFINATELY. **

**You know, if you review, I will update quicker. Fun fact. Plus, it'd be nice to know if you guys are still reading!**


	23. Dead end

**Hellooo! We're nearing the end! Thank God, I wouldn't have trusted myself to finish if I wasn't this far ahead! I believe this chapter to be quite epic, so please enjoy!  
**

**Don't own National Treasure. Gosh.**

I landed by Riley- nearly on him, and took a second to catch my breath, before glancing back at Ben, who had just landed on the elevator by the first one, was in the process of looking over the edge frantically for Riley and I. I waved tiredly at him, giving him my best smile considering the situation, and began helping Riley to his feet.

Suddenly the elevator holding Ben and Ian gave, and it began falling downwards, crashing through supports and stairways as it went. Riley and I screamed in horror as Ben and Ian fell down towards us, before the elevator caught and jerked, sending Ben slipping down the now near vertical planks. Ian span around and caught Ben's hand before he fell, keeping him dangling there. I caught my breath and felt Riley tense beside me as the broke elevator swung back and forth. I daren't say anything….What if Ian changed his mind and decided he didn't need Ben at all?

There was a resounding silence from everybody in the catacombs. Ben and Ian just stared at each other, icy blue eyes meeting. It seemed even Ben couldn't trust himself to say something useful.

"I never wanted this, Ben." Was all Ian said, his voice calm and somehow regretful. "Believe it or not I valued your friendship-"

Riley let out a scoff from beside me and I nudged him, even though I agreed.

"We're working together Ian. We'll find the treasure together…" Ben said breathlessly, holding onto Ian's hand with all his remaining strength.

"I'm not so sure about that anymore, Ben." Said Ian, and he gave him a smirk, before letting go, tugging the Declaration free of the strap around Ben as he fell towards his death.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. I knew I was screaming, but it took me a moment to realize I was lurching forward, away from Riley so he fell against the wood with a thump- and I reached out, just as Bens back smacked against the edge of the walkway I stood on. I looped my arms under his as he collided with it and fell backwards, dragging half of him with me. Riley, despite the pain from his leg jumped up and helped me, lifting Bens legs too. Together we pulled him, breathing heavily, to the safety of our walkway.

I was sweating and I was panting, but Ben was safe. I looked up, brushing my bangs from my eyes and saw Abigail had thrown a rope down for Ian, and with help from the supporting planks of wood, was pulling him up to safety.

My blood boiled. Ian had let Ben drop. After tricking him into thinking he valued him as a friend- and he was going to get away with it, now that Abigail was helping him to safety. Everything was so messed up- the only thing I could be thankful for was the fact that Ian had misjudged the distance of my walkway to the elevator. If Ben hadn't hit the edge, I wouldn't have had the strength to catch him…

"Are you okay, buddy?" I heard Ben asking Riley, and I turned, touched. Trust Ben to care more about somebody else after he had almost died.

"Am I alright?" Riley laughed slightly. "I only got shot, you nearly fell to your death." He patted Ben on the shoulder. "I'm glad you're alright, man."

Aw, bromance. I smiled slightly and then Ben turned to me.

"Thanks Lorna." He leaned forward, kissed my forehead and then clapped Riley on the shoulder. "-And thank you Riley. I don't know what I'd do without…"  
He trailed off as Ian and Abigail appeared on the other elevator, glaring at all three of us. Personally, I had had enough of Abigail's death stares.

We all stayed quiet, Ben and I hauling Riley to his feet.

"Get on." Said Ian sharply, clearly disappointed Ben hadn't died back there. Ben spoke before I had chance to hurl abuse.

"Ian…" Ben said, and his voice was laced with hatred. "It's not worth it."

"You imagine any one of your lives, is more valuable to me than Shaw's?"

I deadpanned.

"Apparently not."

Ian looked at me sharply, and Abigail looked as though she was going to hit me again. I noticed, that despite her harsh glare, she was crying. Shaw's death had apparently been a blow to everybody but me.

"We go on." Ian finished, and Ben, Riley and I knew it was futile. We were trapped. There would be no escape with Ian's goons waiting on the only exit.

We climbed aboard and descended through the catacombs in silence. So many things were going through my mind. Worrying about Riley's life most of all, but at the same time what Ian would do to us when he found the treasure. None of us were armed, and Ian was. He was a man scorned, not only by Shaw's death, but by Ben's failure to. We were so stuck I felt sick, and the thick, ancient dusty air wasn't helping.

Ben looped a rope around a post when we reached the lower floors, and tugged the elevator towards it so it was secured. He took a torch from Ian, who wanted him to lead the way solely in case there were any Indiana Jones style booby traps. I followed behind Ian, with Abigail staying at the back armed with handgun- and I hobbled slowly with Riley, who gasped quietly in pain every time he moved. The makeshift bandage wouldn't help him much longer, he needed a doctor.

We entered a narrow passageway, with torches along the walls that Ben lit as he went. It filled the tunnel with a warm orange glow, a colour which soothed me just a little bit.

"I hope we have a plan." Riley murmured to me, and I glanced at him, lost for words. He smiled. "Because I gotta tell you, it'll be quite hard for me to employ my mad martial arts skills with a gunshot wound…" I giggled loudly, holding him closer, appreciative of his comedic input. Riley was just one of those guys you _needed _around.

My eyes flickered to Ben, walking ahead so bravely. He was amazing. I had no doubts about my feelings for him. I sincerely hoped we would live through the entire ordeal, just so I could tell him so.

Finally we entered a rounded room, medium inside. A lantern hung in the centre and the same orange glow surrounded us as Ben lit more torches an Abigail lit the lantern.

I sincerely hoped that it wasn't the treasure room, because there was no treasure. Ben felt the walls, looking troubled, and Ian came forward.

"Well, where's the treasure?" He demanded, expecting Ben to be a fountain of knowledge.

Ben looked as though he was about the cry. The hurt and disappointment I saw on his face was something that made my stomach clench. His expression could only mean one thing.  
"This is it?" Riley called out, voice louder than usual, slightly angry. I glared at him.  
"Riley-"  
"We came all this way for a dead end?"  
"Riley!" I hissed, firmer this time. Not only did he have to be respectful of Ben's feelings he had to be respectful of the situation. Abigail and Ian wouldn't hesitate to kill us if it was a dead end, and it wasn't worth thinking about there being no treasure after everything we had been through…

Ben massaged his temples, and breathed one word.

"Yes."

I bit my lip, trying not to cry. It couldn't be, it just couldn't be. Ben was fighting back tears himself, and I had to try, I just had to-

"There'll be another clue in here, surely!" I said brightly, trying to make the best of a bad situation.

"Yeah, there has to be!" Riley agreed, nodding furiously, trying to hide his disappointment. Ian was laughing almost manically, as if he refused to believe it, while Abigail was as white as a ghost.

"There isn't any more." Ben said shortly.

Maybe I was in denial, maybe Riley was, but I simply couldn't believe that. We hadn't even looked properly yet!

"Well let's look then, let's look for more clues." I said confidently, and I helped Riley to the wall so he could lean there, and I began looking around for anything, anything that could help us. Ben was murmuring my name.

"Lorna." I ignored him, continuing my quest. He could give up, but I couldn't. I couldn't let it break him. "Lorna." He repeated, but I continued, running my hands over the walls, biting my lip. There had to be something… "Lorna!" Ben's voice was suddenly harsh, as though he had snapped. "There _are _no more clues!" He strode towards me and pulled me away from the walls, staring me in the eye. "That's _it _okay? It's _over_!"

I stared up into his face, taken aback by his tone; Riley too.

"Ben, you can't just-" He began, but the man whirled on him, cutting him off.

"It's the end of road! The treasures _gone!_" He snapped, and Riley's face fell and his heart seemed to break there and then. I wanted to cry, because I felt my heart breaking too, but I couldn't. I couldn't let Ben or Ian or anybody get away with this.

"Oh, so what, you just _give up_!" I demanded, storming around Ben so I could stare him in the eye. "After all _this_? After we _all _got betrayed by people we considered friends!" I thrust my arm in the direction of Abigail and Ian, who remained silent, probably in amusement at the collapse of a once strong friendship. "After I got kidnapped, after Riley got shot, after you stole the _freakin' _Declaration of Independence? You're just going to let it all go, because of a stupid dead end you haven't even investigated yet?" I felt so angry, I couldn't control myself, and I shoved Ben hard in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards. "I thought you were brave and you stood up for what you believed in? That's why I stuck around, it's why Riley stuck around, and it's why Ian _didn't _stick around!" I breathed heavily and took a step back, shaking my head brushing my hair away from my eyes. "Don't leave it here Ben, please. Don't. I don't think we could forgive you, if you did this. We know you're better than that. We know it's who you are, to not give up." I looked over at Riley, who was nodding frantically from the doorway. Ben looked utterly horrified and hurt, but slowly, his hurt expression turned into a smile.

"You're right…" Something reignited in him, I saw it flash in his eyes, and suddenly he had taken me by the small of my back and he was kissing me with more passion than I could fathom. I was so alarmed I didn't respond for a moment or so, when I finally realized this was his way of thanking me. I knew he wanted to thank Riley too, though preferably not in this fashion. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed myself against him, completely in love with him, un-wanting to release him, and it was just him and me in the dimly lit cave, for however many seconds we kissed and held each other.

When we finally came up for air, Ben smiled down at me, somewhat triumphantly and said; "I won't make you shout again." Before he span around to face Ian. "I believe….the lantern is the clue."

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	24. Two lanterns, not one

**Sorry it's not very long! BUSY. This chapter is epic though, you should like it, (no matter how implausible it may be...Shhh.) The next chapter will be longer, I assure you. **

**Much love.  
**

"The lantern?" Ian's blue eyes slowly looked up in the direction of the lantern hanging just near us. I looked too, wondering what the hell this had to do with anything.

"The lantern." Ben repeated. "The old North Church in Boston…Thomas Newton hung a lantern in the steeple there, to signal Paul Revere that the British were coming. If we look under the winding staircase of the steeple, it should be there…" He cleared his throat almost nervously and glanced at him. I had done a history degree, but I had no idea as to where this story had come from. It figured that someone like Ben Gates would know about it.

"Thank you." Ian smiled snidely and turned, taking Abigail's hand. Together they boarded the elevator and began undoing the rope. I jumped forward, hair flying-

"What're you doing!"  
"Ben has told me everything I know, why bring extra baggage?"

My eyes flickered from Ian to Abigail. I noticed the blonde woman looked deep in thought. Ian continued. "We'll know right where to find you if the clue's wrong."

I gulped and stepped back, placing a hand on Ben's tense arm.

Ian set to work on the rope again but Abigail stopped him, taking his wrist.

"Ian…" She looked once at us, and then at him. "They lied."

Ian saw red.

"Oh did they?" He pulled his gun, cocked it.

"The British came by sea with two lanterns, not one…" Even Abigail seemed to be bemused by Bens lie. I cursed inwardly, closing my eyes tight. Why had he lied to the woman who was head of the Archives? Of course she knew this stuff!

"He didn't lie…" I tried, even though what I was saying was futile.

Ian turned suddenly, glaring at me with such ferocious intent I braced myself.

Then it all happened in a manner of seconds. Ian raised the gun and fired. It happened in slow motion- I dived aside, narrowly missing the bullet.

"Oh my God…" I whispered, staring at the place on the floor it had hit. I looked up, saw Ben sprinting at Ian, tackling him to the ground and pulling at the gun in his hand. They wrestled and fought, and I scrambled up, intending to help- when suddenly there was a flash of red and Abigail punched me hard across the face, sending me reeling.

"Lorna!" Screamed Riley from somewhere nearby, and I grabbed my bleeding mouth, massaging the jaw. She had seriously hit me. I suppose I would have to pay sometime for my antics earlier that day.

A punch to the stomach followed and a doubled, losing my breath. How was Abigail so strong all of a sudden? She worked in a damn archive! It wasn't like she needed to be badass!

I caught my breath as fast as I could, wheezing, keeping my eyes closed. Abigail had taken the opportunity to mock me.

"How do you like it, Lorna?" She said, a smile evident in her voice, even though I could not see her. "It's a pity, you might have been a halfway decent secretary. Too bad you fell for Gate's lies."

While she talked, I revved myself up, came up with a plan. It might not have worked, but I had to try. I suddenly stood straight, ignoring the aching pain in my stomach from the punches, and ran at Abigail, rugby tackling her so she landed back on the elevator. Ben beside me had won his battle with Ian, and had thrown the gun into the depths of the catacombs. I dragged Ben to his feet, held his arm fast and looked at him. He frowned at me and nodded, knowing I had a plan. I spied the loose ropes holding the elevator from the corner of my eye and dragged Ben away so we stood on solid ground. As Ian and Abigail gathered their bearings, helping each other up, I released the last of the rope, sending the elevator shooting upwards at great speed, Ian and Abigail still on board, yelling.

The sudden release of tension had sent them into the heavens, and I heard the lift come to an abrupt stop with a loud crash. Riley hobbled over and Ben joined me as we peered up at the elevator, now too broken to be brought back down.

"I'll _destroy _you, Gates!" Screamed Ian from above, and all I could do was laugh. Good luck to him, finding his way back down without suffering Shaw's fate.

Ben and Riley slowly turned to face me, breathless. I just looked at them. Had I really done that? Had I gone from being entirely useless to entirely helpful? Perhaps I had.

"Well," Ben cleared his throat, "that uh…"

"That was a better plan than Bens!" Exclaimed Riley with a grin, clapping me on the back. Then his face fell, and he looked at me as if I had committed a serious crime. "How did you figure WE would get out though!"

I deadpanned.

"Ah."

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	25. No more tricks this time

**Sorry I haven't updated. Busy busy busy. It's a short chapter, but an update is an update :)**

Riley took in my expression, and then his morale seemed to wither in front of my eyes.

"We're all gonna die…"  
"No, no we're not." Said Ben defiantly, and he placed a hand on Riley's shoulder, and one on mine. "I'm sorry I yelled at you guys." And he ran off in great excitement. Riley and I swapped looks.

"Why did you lie to them about the lantern?" I asked, wrapping one arm around Riley's middle so he could balance his weight on me. We walked forward, both equally confused.  
"Is there something else here, were you trying to throw them off the scent?" Riley chipped in, his eyes suddenly shining like a child's on Christmas morning.

Ben was too busy to answer, he was feeling the back walls, looking for an escape route.

"I hope you're looking for a way out," Riley continued, "because Ian will be figuring a way back down here, and when he comes back, all violent…I'd rather not be here."

I patted Riley's shoulder.

"We won't be." Ben grinned, turning to face us both. "There's another way out."

Riley and I looked at each other in excitement.

"Where?"

Ben simply smiled.

"Through the treasure room."

My heart leapt into my throat, and I felt Riley tense beside me. He was doing all he could to remain in the room, to not zone out from the blood loss. As much as I wanted to see the treasure, I wanted an ambulance for Riley.

Ben pushed a button then, and the back wall came loose, revealing a door of sorts. I pulled Riley over to the wall where he could lean, and helped Ben push the door aside (with great difficulty). When it was finally pushed aside, Ben entered first in excitement, his mannerisms much like a child's on Christmas morning. I had to admit I felt the same way. I held Riley up with one arm and followed Ben, grinning widely. And then he slowed considerably, and his shoulders slumped, and I just knew…

My heart sunk.

The room was trashed, boxes thrown aside carelessly, pots and useless items strewn across the floor. The room looked as though it had been ransacked, like somebody had got there first…

"Oh no…" I whispered, and my voice shook as Ben stared at the room, beaten. I couldn't have looked at his face, not then, it would've broke my heart, so I kept my eyes on Riley, who returned my look.

"Looks like someone got here first…" Said Riley slowly, and Ben turned to face us.

"It's gone."

"I'm sorry." I murmured, but I knew my words were futile. Saying sorry wouldn't bring the treasure back.  
"It may have even been gone before Charles Carroll told the story to Thomas Gates." Ben's voice was utterly broken, and all Riley and I could do was stand quietly and listen. We couldn't say anything that would make years of searching okay. "My dad was right…"

I bit my lip. Patrick had been brought into this, and I did _not _like Patrick.

"But the treasure was here once. Right?" I said, and Ben faced me. "I mean. Your dad was saying it never existed. Which was kind of him. But it clearly did. Just some other guys beat you to the punch."

"I just…" Ben went and leant on a table. "…Really thought I was going to find the treasure."

"It's still out there." I said simply, and I went to Ben and placed a hand on his arm comfortingly. "I'll help you look."

Ben still wasn't smiling, but he had brightened slightly.

"Okay."

There was a silence as we smiled at each other, and then Riley's voice from the other end of the room.

"Not to be Johnny Raincloud here, but that's not gonna happen. Because as far as I can see, we're still trapped down here." I gave Riley a look.

"Well that's a very useful comment. Thank you for that Riley." Riley glared back.

"Where's this other way out?"

"That's just it, it doesn't make any sense." Ben set about surveying the room, waffling on about secondary shafts and feeling the walls. I considered it my duty to help out somewhat, so I began doing the same while not entirely sure what I was searching for.

Ben found it first of course. Something embedded in the wall. A drawing of something on a round button… He felt it as I approached, and Riley limped over too, getting a good view. Then his hands stroked over another with a strange indentation in it. I cocked my head to the side, frowning. What was that shape?

Ben seemed to have a better idea. He pulled out the Miashawn pipe slowly.

"Could it really be that simple?" And he regarded the pipe, turning it over in his hands. Riley and I watched his movements with wide eyes, as he whispered one more line. "The secret lies with Charlotte…"

And he pushed the body of the pipe in the indentation, then the pipe itself, and turned what was now a wheel around. Then he shoved it inside and air blew from behind us as something was disturbed. We all turned. A door. There was that feeling again, the feeling of excitement. This was happening, it was really happening. No more tricks this time, this was the treasure room.

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	26. Worth it

**A long, sexy chapter for you today! I tend to get inspired at 1am. I was also inspired by all the new story alerts and reviews. Thank you all so much, I really appreciate the support! I imagine the next chapter will be the last one. I'm hoping I'll come up with a decent, not cliched ending for Ben and Lorna. **

**Enjoy!**

We all edged forward, taking flaming torches from the walls, and I could hardly move, my breath catching in my throat and my heart beating double time. I let Ben go first, and I pulled Riley with me, supporting his weight. The makeshift bandage I had tied around his wound was soaked now, and his skin was even more pale- I knew once we had seen this room, the first thing I would look for were stairs. We needed an ambulance. I tightened my grip on Riley, as if for emotional support, and followed Ben down the dark tunnel.

The room we came out into smelt musty and old and vaguely metallic. It was cluttered and crowded, but I felt far from claustrophobic. The priceless artifacts and statues that surrounded us were all as beautiful as the next, and even though they had been standing in that one place for hundreds of years, I could still see them sparkle and shine beneath my eyes. I couldn't move from my place in the door frame, and neither could Ben. Riley, had he been able to do so without such difficulty, didn't move either. We were all so taken aback, so amazed, that it didn't even program within our minds that this was the treasure, the thing we had been looking for. For a brief moment, I forgot about Ian and Abigail waiting for us somewhere upstairs, or making their way down…I forgot about Riley's wound, and I forgot how tired and ill I felt. All I could see was the treasure that surrounded me, the proof that not selling Ben out to the FBI, that staying with them all this time, that losing my job, getting kidnapped, aiding various crimes, getting arrested and witnessing a new and close friend get shot were worth it. They were all worth it entirely.

I snapped out of it when Ben finally moved into the jungle of items, and even Riley pulled away from me, using the various statues and chests as support. I watched them both move, mildly bemused, and then decided it was time I did some investigating of my own.

I wandered through the room like a ghost, boggled by the Egyptian artifacts and scrolls I noticed as I walked by. A huge, round necklace set against a dusty plinth caught my eye and I took it in hand, wiping the dust away with my thumb and ogling the image of the pyramid and the all seeing eye.

"Wow…" Was all I could whisper, and I brought a hand to myself, as if somehow holding in the joy and awe which I felt. I looked over at where Ben had gone, hoping to catch his eye and give him a triumphant grin, but he was too far into the room, and as I placed the necklace back down, I frowned slightly as an orange light erupted ahead, silhouetting Ben. Riley appeared at my side and we looked at each other curiously. I took his hand and we walked over to stand either side of Ben, and stare out at what he had seemingly created with a flick of his torch.

The room was easily five times the size I had originally thought. It spanned for what seemed like miles, lighting up gradually as the trench of gunpowder lit from Ben's torch. It was a breathtaking sight as thousands of priceless artifacts were brought to light before our very eyes, and I couldn't help but gasp slightly and lean my head on Ben's shoulder, so pleased I was seeing all of this thanks to him. Ben squeezed my arm, and I looked up at him to see the grin I had so desperately wanted to witness. I grinned back and we both laughed, reveling in the moment.

"Look," Riley chimed in, and we both looked at him to see tears in his eyes, "stairs."

The stairs. Of course. I snapped back to reality. We had to get out. Ian and Abigail were on the loose, and Riley was badly wounded. The treasure could wait…For now.

Ben shared the same view.

"C'mon." He said, his gaze flickering briefly to Riley's wound. "We can navigate our way to the stairs from here."  
"But-" Riley protested as Ben and I took an arm each and draped them over our shoulders. "But I wanted to look at-"

"Don't be stupid." I said with a slight chuckle. "You're injured."

And we all headed further into the room, towards our freedom.

Ben had called an ambulance and Agent Sadusky on the cell phone of a terrified caretaker, and the three of us waited on the church pews with Riley, who had begun sweating profusely and breathing heavily. The dust and the germs which would have remained in the treasure room had surely got to the wound, and made matters worse for the kid, who had already lost a lot of blood.

"You're going to be okay, Riley." Ben assured him, keeping fierce eyes on the door. "You're going to be fine."  
"What he said." I chimed in, not wanting to repeat unnecessary information. Riley would be okay because he _had _to be okay. He _had _to.

And then, suddenly, as if someone, somewhere was keen to ruin my day-

"So the treasure was beneath Trinity Church all along."

We all whirled. Ian was standing behind us, just near the exit from the treasure room. Abigail stood by him, and they both were breathless. They hadn't been far behind us.

Ben stood up abruptly and so did I.

"Ah ah ah…" Ian held a gun at the ready. Ben and I flinched. "You both know I'm not afraid to shoot. And what use are you both to me now that the treasure has been found? I could slaughter you on the spot-"  
"Why would you do that?" Demanded Ben. "What would that achieve?"

All the while my eyes were darting to the door, waiting for that moment…

"You've made a fool out of me for the last time, Ben." And Ian loaded the gun.

"No!" I yelled, and just on queue, the doors to the church opened, with armed agents stomping through, medics amongst them, looking for Riley.

Ian let off the gun in alarm as the agents entered, but Ben and I ducked. The bullet rebounded off the ceiling and was embedded in the stone floor. Ian was seized by two agents, as was Abigail, and even Ben and I were hauled to our feet.

"Go easy." I murmured, as Sadusky waltzed over to us, looking smug. "I've been held at gunpoint several times today."

He smiled slightly and nodded to the agents, who gingerly let us go.  
"So you weren't lying about the treasure." He said, eyeing Ben, who shook his head.

"No. And I wasn't lying about the Declaration." He regarded Ian casually, who was struggling against his captors as his other goons were dragged in from the passageway. "There's Ian." He raised his eyebrows at Sadusky, who was taking the whole thing quite well.

"Your friend Mr Poole is in a bad way." He regarded Riley with a jerk of his head. "I understand you wouldn't do that."

Ben and I nodded, and Sadusky put his hand on Ben's arm for a moment.

"Come along. Let's talk bargaining chips."

**I hope you liked. I know the Ian thing was a bit random, but I had to establish where the guy had gone. I thought him following them through the treasure room was a fun idea, because in the room Ian never got to see it.**

**ANYWAY. Review please? You know how I love them :)**


	27. Everything I need

**Argh! Last chapter now! I feel bad leaving it all behind, it was so much fun to write. I'm so proud of it, and I'm so glad everybody has stuck with Lorna til the very end! Enjoy this final chapter, and thank you so much to everyone who has been reading!**

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, figuring this wasn't a conversation I was invited to take part in. I turned, checking on Riley, who was being taken out in a wheelchair by Paramedics. Worry flared inside me and I followed.

The kid was being wired up to a heart monitor when I arrived, and the bleeding in his leg had been stemmed well. Riley was high on morphine, and seemed pretty calm, so I did myself, though I watched carefully as the paramedics fussed around him.  
"Is he going to be alright?" I asked the nearest paramedic, touching their arm. They looked at me.

"He's going to be fine. You did a good thing, stemming the bleeding. It made our job easier, saved him some time."

I nodded, feeling relieved that I had watched enough movies to know how to keep wounds like that at bay, and waited by the vehicle. I wanted it all to be over. I wanted Riley to be well and I wanted Ben to _not _be in prison. I breathed out, folding my arms, and sank down so I was sitting on the edge of the ambulance.

Ben appeared after some moments and sat beside me. I looked up at him and gave him a weak smile, but I couldn't think of what to say. I felt drained.

"I'm off the hook…" Ben began, and my heart skipped a beat. "Or, _we're_ off the hook."

"That's lucky." I smiled, though it was out of relief.

"Yeah." Ben grinned. "I told them to credit you and Riley with the discovery."  
"Ben!" I gasped. "I really did no-"

"I won't hear it." Interrupted Ben. "You had everything to do with the discovery. I couldn't have done it without you, or Riley. I'm so glad I met you in that waiting room."

"Me too." I said softly, and we kissed slowly and carefully, savoring the moment for once. "So what now?" I asked as we pulled apart, and Ben sighed slightly.

"We deal with Ian's court case, the percentage of the treasure, Riley's recovery and…" He trailed off, looking at me affectionately. "And maybe our future together."

I caught my breath.

"Our future?"

"I want us to be together." Ben seemed unsure for a moment, noticing my reaction. "If that's what you want."  
"Of course it is, stupid." I shoved him slightly, giggling. Ben pulled me in by my waist and we cuddled, the flashing of siren lights and orders from police officers going completely unnoticed around us.

Some months later, after Ian had been put away, after Riley had got away with a persisting limp, and after Ben and I had moved in together, in the hugest, most beautiful manor house I had ever seen, I finally felt at peace.

Ben and I sat in the grounds of the house, facing each other across a table with cold drinks and a parasol, and smiling.

"I didn't expect this when I went in for that job interview." I said fondly, placing my hand in the centre of the table, allowing Ben to hold it.

"You'll never have to work again now." He smirked, glancing up at the house. I laughed.

"You don't think Riley's still upset about the percentage we took, do you?"

"Well-" Ben paused as Riley himself came staggering towards us, leaning on a crutch.

"Are you talking about me?"

"No." Ben said in amusement. Riley sat down beside us, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, you were."

"Alright. We were. But they were good things." I cut in, placing a hand on his arm.

"If it helps you guys," Riley began, lounging back, "yeah, I am still upset about the percentage. They offered you ten per cent. _Ten per cent _and you turned it down."

I rolled my eyes and caught Ben's stare.

"It was too much, Riley." He said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You could'a had a bigger house." Riley continued, counting the items off on his fingers. "A better car, though it would never be as cool as mine; a private jet…A JET PACK. You could've had a jet pack, Ben."

I glanced over at Ben, eyes shining.

"Why didn't I think of that?"

Ben looked deadpan.  
"Don't you start."

I leant over to Riley.

"Don't worry. We'll hook that up." And we fist pumped.

"I don't need any of that stuff." Ben interrupted. "I've got everything I need right here."

"I guess." Said Riley, watching him with mild annoyance. "You got the girl."

The two men turned to me and I blinked at them and shrugged.

"Well, you're right." And I leant over to peck Ben on the cheek.

"I'll enjoy my one per cent." Riley announced, standing up and clicking his car key so that somewhere nearby, the sound of an extremely sexy car unlocking itself sounded. "Just listen to that." And he wandered off towards the sound, a huge grin spread across his face. I watched him go with my own grin, and then turned back to Ben, who was leaning across the table, looking at me with great affection.

"So, you said you didn't expect this when you went for the job interview." He looked puzzled, cocking his head to one side. "Don't you regret it? Not getting your dream job?"  
"Don't be stupid." I laughed. "Between you and me," and I leant forward conspiratorially, "I hear there might be an opening as Archivist at the National Archives." I gave him a wink, and Ben smirked back.

"Then choosing to hunt for treasure instead wasn't a bad idea at all."

I looked to the side, smiling to myself happily. Sure the job interview hadn't gone well, but I had left with so much more.

"No. Not at all."

**Please review :) I'm sorry the chapter was short, but there was no reason to drag it all out inecessarily. I hope you enjoyed the story, thank you again!**


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